By Megan Greenwell
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 8, 2008

About 6,000 Charles County children in need of care have the region's first public dental clinic available to them regardless of whether they are insured.

The clinic formally opened Friday to serve Charles children who lack dental insurance or are on Medicaid, a population that historically has had little access to quality dental care. A pediatric dental fellow from the University of Maryland's dental school in Baltimore will work four days a week at the clinic, serving about 15 patients weekly.

"I'm so tired of Charles County kids coming all the way up to the University of Maryland, that two-hour trip, just to get their teeth cleaned," said Norman Tinanoff, chairman of the dental school. "This will stop that spigot."

Access to dental care for Maryland children came under nationwide scrutiny after a 12-year-old Prince George's County boy died last year as a result of a tooth infection that spread to his brain. A statewide Dental Action Committee concluded that many children in Maryland do not have their teeth cared for because of a shortage of dentists and because many private dentists don't accept Medicaid. The problem is especially acute in Southern Maryland, Baltimore and the Eastern Shore, experts said.

The Charles clinic is the result of efforts at the state level to bring dental services to more children, as well as a county focus on improving care. Sandy Webb, who directs the county's Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, said she has been part of discussions to start a clinic for at least 15 years.

Last year, the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene allocated $100,000 to the clinic, and Charles County government contributed as well. The result is a state-of-the-art clinic with digital imaging technology, up-to-date computer systems and a child-friendly design that features colorful jungle animals on every wall.

"This is a Corvette for dentists," said Susana Merida, the clinic's dental fellow from U- Md.

Treatment costs will be calculated on a sliding scale based on family income.

"The whole point is to offer dental services regardless of someone's ability to pay," said Erin Piskura, the oral health educator for the county Health Department.

Three years ago, members of a nonprofit group conducted dental health screenings at Mt. Hope-Nanjemoy Elementary School, which is in the lowest-income part of the county. They found that a large percentage of children needed dental care, but they did not return to treat the students.

After Merida was hired in April, she and other clinic staff members visited Head Start programs and Judy Centers at schools across the county to conduct additional screenings. Of the 123 children examined, 14 percent were found to have urgent dental needs, Webb said. An additional 23 percent had non-urgent needs.

The clinic has treated 12 children, with 72 more scheduled for appointments. Officials hope to treat adults one day a week but haven't been able to find a qualified adult dentist to hire, Webb said.

Organizers said the clinic represents an important first step for thousands of children.

"The reality is when you don't have insurance, you don't get care as good as you would in private practice," Merida said. "But that will be different here."