Children receive free dental sealants, fluoride treatments

Dental hygiene students, Andrea Ohlrich and Kristin Taake, put sealants on the teeth of Breeze Tarkintion, as Gwen Hlava observes. Hlava is chairperson and associate professor of the UNMC College of Dentistry’s dental hygiene program.

You might not expect to see a dental hygenist in an elementary school, but Cynthia Tiedeman says there’s a critical need for such services.

Tiedeman, the school nurse at Liberty Elementary School in downtown Omaha, was on hand when volunteers — junior and senior dental hygiene students from the UNMC College of Dentistry – recently placed sealants and provided fluoride treatments on the teeth of 175 second- and third-grade students.

“This is such a nice way to introduce children to oral health professionals,” Tiedeman said. “If this weren’t available here, the children would not get it. I believe in prevention. Toothaches interfere with learning.”

John Mackiel, Ph.D., left, superintendent of the Omaha Public Schools, with David Brown, Ph.D., professor of oral biology and executive associate dean, UNMC College of Dentistry.

The UNMC College of Nursing graduate sees many kids each year with abscessed teeth. During the school year, she dispenses about three tubes of oral gel to help with the pain.

Dental hygiene student Erin Sallee was enthusiastic about volunteering for the first time. “At the college we see mostly adults,” Sallee said. “I wish I could do this more often during the year. It’s a great opportunity for us, as well as the children.”

The event, a partnership between the UNMC College of Dentistry, Hope Medical Outreach Coalition and the Omaha Public Schools, was funded by a grant through the Hope Medical Outreach Coalition of Omaha. Karen Bober, D.D.S., of One World Community Health Center, also participated.

Left to right: Dental hygiene students, Nicole Salkeld and Cheryl Olson place dental sealants on Zeidy Santos, a student at Liberty Elementary in Omaha.

“We’re very appreciative of UNMC’s initiative,” said John Mackiel, Ph.D., superintendent of the Omaha Public Schools, who stopped by to learn about the event and visit with the volunteers. “This is another avenue that allows us to be focused on reading, writing and arithmetic. This is a tremendous benefit to our young persons and their families.”