Access to Care

Free Examinations with Radiographs/Consultation/Treatment/and Referral for Follow-up

• Free annual dental examinations and radiographs given aboard the dental vans of Medical Teams International at participating Boys & Girls Clubs, with a referral to a volunteer dentist in private practice or at a dental clinic.  The volunteer dentist will provide a free follow-up appointment for treatment and the opportunity for the child to establish a dental home.
• Members of Boys & Girls Clubs in King County will be transported to the fully equipped dental operatory located in the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club as long as the Club can accommodate them.

Education

• Family Oral Health Nights with a free dinner and program scheduled once a year at participating clubs to encourage family support with a preview of the education component, and to explain how a child can qualify for a free dental examination and referral for follow-up treatment
• Comprehensive oral health education programs presented quarterly, monthly, or weekly through the Clubs’ Health and Life Skills program component.  Presentations are done by volunteer WSDA member dentists, University of Washington School of Dentistry students, allied members of the dental team, and WOHF staff
• Oral health education and resources for low-cost dental care will be available for the entire family at participating clubs and will be distributed to caregivers through Boys & Girls Club members and staff

Learning Enhancements

Interactive Touch-Screen Kiosks

• SeePoint interactive kiosks will be placed in areas where parents and other caregivers, as well as club members, can access them to enhance learning. Staff and visitors to the clubs will also have access to the valuable information that exists in these touch-screen kiosks.
• Kiosks will be programmed with oral health information for all ages, including video demonstrations about oral hygiene, educational programs about dental disease, nutrition, mouthguard safety, dental emergencies, oral consequences of using tobacco and other drugs, oral science that explains the environment of the mouth, and careers in dentistry.
• A KidsConnect section of the kiosk will feature interactive games, puzzles, coloring sheets, quizzes, and activities for children and youth.
• Dental facts and resources for the entire family, at no cost to users or to clubs, will be available for download from the kiosks.
• Each kiosk will track the name of the club, number of users, pages viewed, printed topics, and other specifics regarding utilization.

Measurement

This initiative provides an opportunity to examine oral health education in the context of existing youth programs that focus on positive Health and Life Skills within trusted organizations that can simultaneously provide oral health education for the entire family.  

Boys & Girls Club members who participate in the program and can be tracked for three consecutive years, will allow examining and treating dentists volunteering in the WOHF Initiative and WOHF staff to collect the following data, as it relates to increased oral health awareness and continuing oral health education in the Boys & Girls Clubs environment:

• incidence of improved oral hygiene and incidence of dental caries
• attitudes and behaviors toward dentists while in the dental chair
• increased involvement and support from families of participants

Special Projects and Recognition

Throughout the year, WOHF will provide opportunities for members of each club to participate in several activities to enhance oral health education and its importance to a person’s overall health, through:

• Projects that involve the creation of oral health messages for peer groups using a variety of mediums that include video production, poster art, photography, PowerPoint presentations, and games
• Field trips related to science, dental careers, and volunteerism for small special interest groups
• Volunteer opportunities for members needing community service hours for Service Learning projects in school
• Individual recognition within clubs, on the WOHF Web site, and at the annual Pacific Northwest Dental Conference, held at the Washington Convention and Trade Center in Seattle.