Collaborations make for Winning Smiles!
Since September 2015, Full Life has been collaborating with Diana Smith, a Dental Hygienist in West Hawaii. Diana has been volunteering her time with Full Life Learning Center to establish Preventative Dental Care & Oral Hygiene for Waiver participants ages 18 to 48.
Due to the insufficient coverage, most with Medicaid benefit have NO Preventative Dental Services! Per Med-Quest Division, Quest Hawaii “Persons under age 21 also receive full dental coverage, while individuals age 21 and over are covered for dental emergencies only under the Medicaid Fee-For-Service Program”. In Fact, the only remedy in our Medical System for them is an “Emergency” action, that of “Extraction of Teeth”. As a result, Some have not been to the dentist for years.
Due to Diana’s commitment and passion for our participants we now have a successful Oral Hygiene Program! program participant now has their personal dental chart, with their notes and personal description of each tooth, and the history of their oral hygiene. They have enjoyed the classes and group discussions; both visual and “hands-on”. A Field Trip to her office at Hawai’i Family Dental Center in Kailua-Kona is upcoming in March!
