LANCASTER, Pa. (Feb. 21, 2008) – Kick the tires, check the engine, but most important, consider the “smiles” per gallon.
St. Joseph Health Ministries is planning to add a second “Brush Brush Bus,” a sibling for the 40-foot mobile dental clinic that is the hallmark of the children’s oral health initiative “Brush. Brush. Smile!®”
Since its debut in the fall of 2004, Brush. Brush. Smile!® has provided nearly $2 million worth of free dental care and oral health education to more than 9,000 children across Lancaster County’s 16 school districts.
As was the original bus, the new one is being built by Armor Mobile Systems in Cincinnati, Ohio, under the direction of the nonprofit St. Joseph Health Ministries. Work is under way and is expected to be completed by the time school starts in the fall.
“We’ve made considerable inroads with the Brush Brush Bus to address the huge problem of those Lancaster County children who never see a dentist,” said Benetta Rapier, chairwoman of St. Joseph Health Ministries’ board of directors. “But there’s a lot more work to do because our ultimate goal is to eliminate untreated childhood tooth decay. We’re going to be relentless in our efforts, and a second bus is an important part of that.”
The Brush Brush Bus has all of the amenities of the most modern dental office, including a full-time dental team complete with dentist, dental hygienist and two dental assistants. Children will receive a full range of dental care including exams, X-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, extractions and fillings.
“The new bus will be similar to the first bus in many ways, but we also have more than three years of experience with the ‘Brush Brush Bus’ that we can draw upon as we design the new one,” said Jennifer Thompson, president and executive director of St. Joseph Health Ministries. “We’ll incorporate the most current technology in what will be a totally paperless, wireless, digital dental office while taking the care directly to the children at schools throughout the 16 school districts in Lancaster County.”
The new bus will resemble the original one aesthetically, too. The first bus is decorated in bright blue, green, orange and pink; the new one will have a similarly fun and inviting color scheme.
When the Brush Brush Bus debuted, an estimated 19,000 children in Lancaster County had never visited a dentist. Despite the gains made in the intervening three years and the addition of a second bus, demand for Brush. Brush. Smile!® and its services will remain high.
In late February, the Brush Brush Bus returned to Conestoga Valley School District. Kathy Noll, certified school nurse at Leola and Fritz elementary schools, has seen first-hand how the mobile dental clinic benefits children.
“School nurses often deal with children who have unmet health needs that adversely affect their learning,” Noll said. “But the Brush Brush Bus is meeting the oral health needs of Lancaster County children in a state-of-the-art, full-service way. It makes a big difference in the lives of these children. It’s just wonderful – and it’s wonderful to know that a second bus is on its way.”
St. Joseph Health Ministries (www.sjhm.org) is dedicated to improving the health of children in need within Lancaster County.
