The Phillips Heart to Hands Story Submission for Mashica Q. Jefferson, I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene. I got my Community Dental Health Coordinator certification in
June, 2022 through Alamance Community College. I worked for 20 years for the same dental office before coming to public health and worked in the Pre-school Dental Health Program starting January 5, 2010. I worked that program doing dental
screenings and teaching dental education for 100+ daycares, taught parent dental education classes, and childcare provider classes. I also did a lot of community outreach events for community partners. I worked in this program until June 30, 2011
when the program lost funding. I returned to the Forsyth County Heath Department to
work in the School Age Dental Health Program in May, 2012. This is a permanent
position that is not grant funded. I currently have 16 elementary schools and 15
daycares and I do dental screenings and education for the students. I also do dental
screenings at several of our Park Recreation Centers for children in summer camp
programs. This is a partnership with our BeHealthy School Kids program. I also do
clinical rotations in the dental clinic doing chair side dentistry here at the health
department dental center.
The program changed names to the Preventive Dental Health Program. I currently
teach adult dental health classes. I teach classes for caregivers taking care of their
special needs children, disable adults, and the elderly all of which need help with their
daily personal care. The parents and caregivers are the ones that have to be given the
information that they need to value taking their own teeth and their children’s or
loved ones teeth.
I work closely with the schools doing their career day events, community outreach
events, and do parenting classes for parent dental education. I teach dental health
education to recovering patients of substance use. Even when teaching adult dental
education classes, I still tie in the need for parents and caregivers to make sure that
they are getting their children or grandchildren in for regular dental checkups.
I help kids get comprehensive dental work done through our local Give Kids a Smile
program partnering with local dentists and using our own dental clinic, the Cleveland
Avenue Dental Center here in Winston Salem, NC. The Cleveland Avenue Dental
Center is also part of the Forsyth County Department of Public Health.
There is a large need in the community for dental services and dental health education
for adults and children. There are a growing number of people in Forsyth County that
don’t have any type of dental coverage and they will not be able to qualify for
Medicaid. We know that education is the key to prevention. I want parents /
caregivers to really understand the importance of baby teeth and debunk the view that
some people have that they can just wait for baby teeth to fall out and not get them
treated. I also emphasize the message of dental infections effecting overall systemic
health and the risk of infection from a dental abscess getting into the bloodstream. I
also give the message in all dental education classes that a child has a hard time
concentrating in school and their learning Is effected if they are in pain with a
toothache. I remind adults of how they have felt if they ever had a toothache and get
them to relate it to how a child can feel.
I make an education folder for each participant in the substance use dental health
education classes. Every participant gets a folder for every class. I teach these classes
every 21 days. I also make a dental education folder for parents with children, and an
education folder for adults and senior citizens geared for their specific dental
education classes. When it comes to caregivers of special needs loved ones, I make
their education folders and they have information with tips on taking care of their
loved ones teeth and using electric toothbrushes or 3 sided toothbrushes. I also make
goodie bags for every participant for every event.
I work with staff here at the health department such as the interpreters to help parents
of children I have referred for dental treatment. The interpreters help schedule the
appointments and meet families at the dentist for the appointment. I also help
coordinate transportation with the health department’s transportation team. I use the
supplies that come out of the dental hygiene budget, but I also buy supplies with my
own money so that families and individuals can get the extra items that they need.
The impact on the community is better dental health for children and their family
members. I want everyone to have healthy and restored teeth and a healthy mouth in
general.