Project: Healthy Smiles - Bright Futures
Organization: Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry
Cleveland, OH
Story submitted by Dr. James Lalumandier, Chairman, Community Dentistry

Shanautica is a petite eight-year old African American second grader in the Cleveland Municipal School District. She has lived in Cleveland all eight years, but has changed schools three times - all within the same district. Shanautica is a good student but after several failed levies her classroom has swelled to nearly 40 children. Cleveland now has the dubious distinction of being the poorest big city in the US and the Cleveland Municipal School District is the largest public school district in Ohio.

In the fall there is a distinct chill in the Cleveland air, which only exacerbates the pain that Shanautica is feeling in her lower jaw. She no longer is the happy child she normally seems to be and her schoolwork is suffering for it. Like half her friends, Shanautica has never been to the dentist, but she has heard the horror stories from some of her older friends. She feels badly about telling her mom about her pain because her mom has enough other problems on her plate. Shanautica and her two older brothers live in a two-bedroom apartment on the east side of Cleveland, and she and her mom share one of the bedrooms. Holding down two jobs, Shanautica’s mom unfortunately has little time for her three children except for providing them with the essentials.

In early December, a dental health educator visits Shanautica’s classroom. Mrs. Harris is a native of the Cleveland schools, holds a master’s degree in Health Education and is able to alleviate the apprehension of the most fearful child. She was hired by Healthy Smiles—Bright Futures through the funding provided from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and has made a significant impact on the children, their teachers and parents. In Shanautica’s case, Mrs. Harris looked and acted like her mom’s sister and she put Shanautica at ease. Even more importantly than teaching the children about oral health, Mrs. Harris stressed to the class that when the dentists come to do the sealants there is no pain involved. Shanautica and her classmates touch the big tooth model. By rubbing her fingers over the sealant Shanautica felt how smooth it was, unlike the feeling when her tongue passed over her own tooth. At the end of her presentation, Mrs. Harris encourages the children to have their parents fill out and sign the consent form allowing the dentists to do their work.

A week later, the team of ten dental students along with their instructor came to Shanautica’s school and set up a dental clinic in the school’s library. The lady dentist looked a lot like Mrs. Harris and had the same friendly way about her. When Shanautica’s class passed by the library, she got a glimpse of the young dentists (dental students) setting up their equipment which didn’t look scary at all. After lunch it was Shanautica’s class that was called upon to visit the young dentists in the library. One hundred percent of her classmates brought back the consent form so her whole class marched in single file to the library. The closer she got to the library the more nervous she appeared, but when she entered the library the young dentists made her feel relaxed. When one of the young lady dentists asked for volunteers, Shanautica put up her hand and was escorted to one of the dental chairs. The young dentists were so gentle and when they were placing the smooth sealant on her teeth, they were very careful not to touch her one lower tooth with the cavity. When she was finished, Shanautica was able to pick a goodie bag which contained a pink toothbrush, toothpaste, a booklet for mom and stickers. The lady dentist told her she was a great patient and told her that her mom would be getting a letter about getting her tooth fixed.

A few days later Shanautica’s mom received the letter including a list of dentists willing to take care of her daughter without the usual charges. By the following week Shanautica had an appointment with one of the dentists near her neighborhood. When the Healthy Smiles—Bright Futures referral coordinator followed up with Shanautica’s mom, she learned that Shanautica is no longer in pain and is no longer afraid of visiting the dentist. Best of all, her schoolwork has improved and her smile has returned.

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