Author Archive Krista Hahn

Marian Dental Clinic participated in Emerald City Cosmos Diabetes Health Fair

The Marian Clinic participated in the first annual Emerald City Cosmos Diabetes Health Fair on April 13th. This event was a free community-wide event seeking to enhance strength through action, empowerment through education, and support through community for all who are impacted by diabetes. Krista and Tashaira represented the clinic at the event and offered the following oral health resources to 65 individuals who visited our booth.

• Healthy snacks for diabetics that are also healthy for your teeth
• Xylitol gum samples that won’t raise your blood glucose
• Toothbrush kits encouraging brushing and flossing at least twice/daily avoid oral infection.
• Three individuals won a free dental checkup and cleaning at our office

• Reduce the risk of gum disease by visiting your dentist at least twice/year
• Maintain healthy blood sugars to avoid infection following extractions
• Work with your healthcare team to obtain an optimal A1C; which includes your primary care, endocrinologist, dietitian, and dentist.
• Review of risk factors and symptoms of oral manifestations due to uncontrolled diabetes

Our dental team remains engaged and dedicated to providing the highest quality care. All team members participated in “diabetic glucometer” training provided by Barb Sollner, RN, MSN, BSN from Baker University School of Nursing. As a part of the clinic’s effort to provide holistic care, the dental team will now provide patient’s with complimentary glucose testing chair-side when our nursing volunteers are not readily available.

Glucometer and A1C assessment tools help the dentist determine the appropriate course of treatment. Hypo/Hyper glycemic individuals create an increased risk of a medical emergency while being treated in the clinic, increased risk for oral infections and gum disease, and reduced/slowed post-surgical healing. The Marian Dental team is very in-tune to diabetes and is well-equipped to accommodate treatment based on each individual’s needs.

Marian Dental Clinic associates provided 558 dental screenings to children aged 5-18 at St Mary’s Public Schools, St Marys Kansas.

These dental screenings identify children with urgent dental needs, restorative dental needs, and preventive dental needs. Each child was given a free toothbrush and a report of each child’s oral health status for parents. The school nurse was provided child flossers and xylitol gum to share with students as needed. We are grateful that KDHE Bureau of Oral Health and Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth who have sponsored this outreach initiative. The Smiles4Kids Program and Smiles4Kids Fund makes it possible for our clinic to reach school age children and provide basic services such as dental screenings, preventive care, dental sealants, and fluoride varnish. The clinic is reaching out to area schools that do not currently have dental outreach services. A few rural Kansas schools have 20+% decay rates and desire a partnership with the Marian Dental Clinic. The ultimate goal for our dental outreach in schools is to decrease dental decay rates by increasing oral health prevention and access to dental care.

KanCare Medicaid Expansion passed in the Kansas House of Representatives. Currently this legislation it is in the Senate Committee. Medicaid expansion will help more of our uninsured client’s access healthcare. Currently our clinic has numerous uninsured individuals who cannot afford dental care. This access to insurance will help patients receive needed dental care. Reimbursement from Medicaid for these services will help the clinic with overall sustainability.

In March we celebrated National Catholic Sisters Week with our wonderful blessings, Sister Mary Rosaleen Driscoll and Sister Maureen Kehoe.

Each day Sister Mary Rosaleen joins our dental team at the clinic to visit with patients, advocate for patients, and provide spiritual counseling and guidance to all. We are blessed beyond all measure to have a daily reminder of our catholic faith and clinic beginnings.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

Our dental professionals believe a healthy smile provides children with a good start to life. We also believe in taking the opportunity to engage and educate parents to create healthy oral habits at home well into the future. In honor of National Children’s Oral Health Month, February 21-22nd our clinic impacted the lives of 30 children and 19 parents with $16,232 worth of free dental care. We provided education, preventative cleanings, fluoride varnish, sealants, emergency, basic restorative, and endodontic dental care. These children having no dental insurance and limited ability to pay for dental care came to the Marian Dental Clinic seeking quality services and a great experience. We hope to continue serving these families in the future.

In February the Marian Dental Clinic also announced our commitment to serving children enrolled in Shawnee County Medical Society’s HealthAccess program. Children enrolled in HealthAccess have no dental insurance and additionally no medical insurance. With limited access due to the rising cost of health care these children are in need of a routine dental home. This comprehensive dental/oral health component for children enrolled in HealthAccess is NEW!

HealthAccess is an integrated network of local clinics, private primary and specialty physician volunteers, hospitals and pharmacies to provide universal, on-demand access to the full continuum of health care for the medically underserved citizens of their county. (Source: scmsha.orgl)

Year to date, the clinic has served 823 patients with $285,099 worth of dental services and basic nurse screenings. We are excited to share that our partners, Baker University School of Nursing, has been volunteering at the clinic 1-2 times per week offering consultation, education, and health interventions. This interdisciplinary partnership brings to light many access to healthcare issues and offers our patients more than just a “dental” experience. The dentists appreciate and value the nurse’s expertise and how it enriches the patient care we are providing.

Kathy is busy teaching families about acid attacks using our acid attack kit! When your mouth comes into contact with sugar in foods or drinks, the acid produced attacks your tooth enamel. Our kits show the process of an acid attack!