Smile!

I don’t know what made me think of Mark the other day, but something did. He was a patient here at the clinic from 2003-2006. He had a job – seasonal work with no benefits and not much income.

Mark had been in and out of trouble at times, but was a really nice guy. He’s a few years older than me, but had a mother who was supportive and worried about him. She and I became friends. We helped him get the medication that he needed, but that’s not the reason I remember Mark.

I remember him because of his smile. Not at first – he came in with dental issues the very first time we saw him here at the clinic.

Over the years here at St. Peter’s Free Clinic, we have tried to address the multitude of unmet needs that exist in our community. We have been fairly successful in providing healthcare services and medications to the low-income, uninsured residents of our county. But, not as successful in providing some of the other unmet needs – and dental care is a huge unmet need.

The importance of dental care has been expanded over time – we now know how important it is to maintain good oral health to protect physical health. Some of the disease processes affected by dental health are:

·         Diabetes: People with diabetes who happen to have periodontal disease may suffer excessive bone loss of the jaw or surrounding bone structure and have difficulties in healing.

·         Heart Disease: Experts have concluded that poor oral health caused by chronic dental infections may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

·         Stroke: Recent studies have linked periodontal disease with strokes.

Mark came in during a time when one of the local dentists was very eager to help our patients. Mark was one of the first patients to be seen by the dentist for the clinic. He came in, we made the referral, and then I didn’t see him for several months. When he came back to the clinic, he had a smile as big as the moon. His teeth had been fixed or replaced; he was no longer embarrassed to smile. He was grateful beyond words.

For many people, poor dental care is a barrier to jobs. No matter how smart, how personable, or how well-dressed a person is, if they have bad teeth, or no teeth, they are not going to get hired. Dental care can change a person’s life. It may also save a life!

I am so thrilled that the Healthy Michigan Plan (what Medicaid expansion is called in Michigan) includes access to dental care for adults (children on Medicaid have always had this benefit in Michigan). It will make a huge difference in the life of the working poor in our state.

Maybe we will see more people smiling?