Giving Children the Gift of Good Oral Health
January 18, 2022“The children we see at the Holy Cross Health Center in Germantown are at a higher risk of cavities due to poor oral health,” said Rhonique Shields, MD, vice president of medical affairs and practice operations at Holy Cross Health Network. The Health Center in Germantown, which provides care for children and adults who are uninsured or enrolled in Medicaid, turned to the Holy Cross Health Foundation for help in funding fluoride varnish kits for pediatric patients. “Fluoride supplements not only can prevent cavities from forming, but also can stop the progression of cavities that have started,” explained Dr. Shields.
The Holy Cross Health Foundation helps connect donors with areas of need identified throughout the Holy Cross Health system. Working closely with donors, the foundation finds giving opportunities that align with donors’ philanthropic goals and visions. When the Children’s Health and Education Charitable Foundation (CHEC) was looking for an initiative to support, the foundation proposed a grant to fund the fluoride program for the Health Center in Germantown.
“Good oral health in children has lifelong implications,” said Rhonique Shields, MD, vice president of medical affairs and practice operations at Holy Cross Health Network.
“Promoting good pediatric dental health supports CHEC’s mission to make a difference in the health and education of children in our community,” said Vandana Narang, one of CHEC’s founders. Since 2019, a generous donation from CHEC has provided 115 pediatric patients at the Health Center in Germantown with a total of 246 fluoride applications.
Physicians and nurse practitioners apply fluoride varnish during children’s preventive care visits. The varnish treatment can reverse early tooth decay, which can begin in babies as young as nine months when they start getting their first teeth. The American Dental Association recommends children see a dentist when their first tooth breaks through the gum line or by one year of age.
“One of the major things that attracted us to Holy Cross is their support of underinsured and uninsured populations in Montgomery County,” said Vandana, who serves on the Holy Cross Health Foundation board of directors. “CHEC is a strong supporter of Holy Cross and looks forward to working with the foundation to find future opportunities where we can invest in the health of our children.”
She also knows the care that Holy Cross provides firsthand from being a patient. “There are no VIPs; everyone is treated so nicely and so well,” Vandana said. “Holy Cross provides excellent health care equally, whether you are in the hospital or at the clinics.”
Dr. Shields added, “Good oral health in children has lifelong implications because tooth pain can lead to children acting out, missing or not doing well in school. Having good oral health promotes better school performance and self-esteem.”
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