Hygienists are specialists at helping kids have big, healthy smiles — and not always in a dental office. One Maine-based hygienist named Tracey Jowett has founded an organization called Saving Smiles, and she has dedicated her time to offering free mobile dental care to children across the state.
To provide services via Saving Smiles, Jowett has a mobile unit that she takes to schools within RSU 3, 12 and 13 in Waldo, Knox, Lincoln and Kennebec counties. Once she arrives at the school, Jowett does teeth cleanings, then offers kids brushing advice. She can also refer children who need more care to a local dentist. Saving Smiles offers these dental services to children at no cost to the parents, and so far, the organization has treated more than 1,300 students.
In an interview with WCSH6, Jowett explains, “It’s hard to have access to care for kids, especially if they have limited insurance, no insurance or Maine Care insurance… There’s often limitations on how many [kids] offices will take into their practice.” By providing high-quality dental care at no cost, Jowett can help children avoid having oral disease — which has cost American students, according to a 2000 Surgeon General report, more than 51 million lost school hours each year. Dental-related diseases can cause severe complications in children, including problems with speaking, eating and paying attention class, so a cleaning with Saving Smiles can help greatly improve the quality of life for a student from a low-income family.
Saving Smiles is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that helps improve access to dental health care, particularly in rural areas. The program has formed partnerships and Head Start Centers, and it provides dental hygiene services to children at those schools. It also encourages efforts at the schools to raise awareness and provide dental health education in the classroom. It has currently reached more than 13,000 with its educational endeavors. Saving Smiles is funded by sponsorships and private donations, and it costs about $40,000 per year to operate. Jowett is currently supervised by a licensed dentist, and she is looking for a second dental hygienist to join the program and help her clean teeth at schools.
