Dentists bring smiles to kids’ faces at Vaughn Elementary

Smilemobile offers services

I first became acquainted with Dr. Eric Kvinsland when he joined the Communities In Schools of Peninsula Board of Directors. I subsequently learned that he is a Gig Harbor dentist.

This bit of erudition popped out when he explained that he and his lovely wife, Bradie, would be paying a visit to Voyager Elementary School to talk to the kids about dental hygiene.

Kvinsland has a way with kids. Among his several maneuvers, he had five of them stand shoulder-to-shoulder pretending to be teeth as he used a very large length of pretend “dental floss,” with which he demonstrated proper flossing techniques.

The “teeth” only giggled a little bit. They were all first-graders.

As the tooth party wound down, Brady Kvinsland produced all sorts of goodies for the kids from a seemingly bottomless supply bag.

No, it wasn’t candy. Instead, the bag contained dental floss, brushes, timers and other items designed to encourage healthy mouths.

“I learned that you should brush your teeth for two minutes once in the day and once at night, and also, floss your teeth,” Graham Nordquist said later.

His classmate, Nolan Hollenbeck said, “You can set the timer when you’re brushing your teeth. Then you know when you’re done.”

“Only eat good food and drink water at night, or else you’ll get cavities,” Marshall Lenhart added.

Jillian Stephens learned that bananas are good for teeth. And I wouldn’t have learned any of this had Voyager’s Margaret Duncan not shared her wisdom via e-mail.

For an entire week ending last Friday, Vaughn Elementary School hosted the new Washington Smilemobile, a modern dental office on wheels that brings oral health services to children who have no other options for dental care.

Let me tell ya, it is one very impressive piece of equipment — and the same Eric Kvinsland is one of the several volunteer dentists who bring that service to our kids.

Discussing the event after Monday’s CIS-P board meeting, Kvinsland said, “Just one of the three dental chairs aboard the Smilemobile costs $15,000.”

Kvinsland teamed with Dr. Chris Delecki, director of the Odessa Brown Dental Clinic at Children’s Hospital in Seattle, along with dental assistant Krystal Haycock of Vaughn.

Others included Smilemobile clinic manager Tyrena Burton, dental assistant Candace Hegseth and Pierce County Dentists Care program coordinator Jennifer Bunch.

They provided hours of dental service to kids from throughout our area, including everything but orthodontics or cosmetic care, for free.

“We refer patients to cooperating specialists,” Kvinsland of the other services.

Vaughn Elementary fourth-grader Alexander Black and his second-grade brother, Isaiah Black, got the full treatment while I watched, amazed at their utter lack of concern or fear of pain.

It was their first experience with a dentist, and they seemed to enjoy the adventure.

“How wonderful for my boys to be able to receive this treatment,” said the Blacks’ mother, The Blacks’ mother, Diana Thomas. “It’s so professional! We just couldn’t afford it otherwise.”

On leaving the Smilemobile, Isaiah walked up to Delecki, thrust out his right hand and shook the dentist’s hand. And with a smile that would melt rocks, he beamed out a big, “thank you, doctor!”

Class act!

Delecki said he’d worked for the national Public Health Service under the U.S. Surgeon General for 21 years at Native American reservations in Yakima, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Nevada.

“I could have made more in private practice but found the work personally rewarding,” he said.

Tyrena Burton said CIS-P “helped greatly in lining up helpful volunteers. We couldn’t have done the job as well without that assistance.”

Vaughn third-grader Tristan Sutton said, “All the stuff they put in my mouth tasted like vinegar. It hurt a little, but not bad.

“I’m glad I did it because my teeth will be better than if I didn’t come here,” he added.

The Smilemobile operates throughout the state, at shopping centers, housing areas, churches and wherever there is a need, Jennifer Bunch said.

Hugh McMillan is a longtime freelance writer for The Peninsula Gateway. He can be reached at 253-884-3319.