Category Archives: Outreach

Every 6 months Even During a Pandemic – Skippy Mobile Dental Clinic Offers the Ultimate Convenience

Every 6 months Even During a Pandemic – Skippy Mobile Dental Clinic Offers the Ultimate Convenience

By Gina Gurreri, Community Programs Development Supervisor

On a hike this weekend, an out-of-state visitor asked me what I do for work in this area. When I explained that I manage Skippy, Tri-County Health Network’s mobile dental clinic that provides oral healthcare to children in the San Miguel, Ouray, West End, and Delta region, they remarked that “it’s a good thing dental care is the least urgent form of healthcare.” I had to stop them there. Tooth decay – commonly referred to as a cavity – one of the most prevalent chronic diseases among children in the United States. Untreated tooth decay causes a multitude of issues for children including severe pain. Pain can decrease children’s ability to focus in school, lead to missed classroom time, and can contribute to poor behavior. Complications of tooth decay can include infection, abscesses, and trouble chewing.

Oftentimes, it seems we forget about oral health care. It may be because we do not realize just how important good dental care is to our overall health. Especially in this time of increased vigilance around health, let us not forget or forgo oral health for ourselves and for our children. In the wake of COVID-19, with medical and dental clinics being closed or offering very limited appointments, many people were forced to forfeit their regularly scheduled dental exams and cleanings.

It is recommended that oral health education and dental cleanings and screenings be performed every 6 months to prevent tooth decay. Skippy’s mobile dental clinic makes it convenient for children to get their oral health needs met. Skippy brings a team of local dental professionals to your child’s school or a nearby location. With state-of-the-art equipment, the Skippy team can provide x-rays, intra-oral imaging, exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and restorative care to clean, protect, and strengthen your child’s teeth, and to stop tooth decay from starting or spreading. Your child can receive top notch oral health care without missing a whole class and without parents having to transport kids out of the county to attend dental appointments.

Skippy is taking extra precautions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In accordance with the Center for Disease Control and the American Dental Association, Skippy Dental is using increased PPE measures, will screen all patients before admittance to the clinic, will practice social distancing measures as possible throughout the clinic, and will be using a professional grade air filter to increase ventilation and decrease viral and bacterial content in the air. Skippy aims to make dental care accessible and safe for children and their families. That’s why we offer services at no out-of-pocket cost to families, regardless of dental insurance coverage.

Healthy mouths are more than just white teeth and fresh breath. Good strong teeth help children get the nourishment they need from foods and having a healthy smile to flash gives kids confidence and high self-esteem. Enroll your child in a local Skippy Dental Clinic today by completing the enrollment form here: https://tchnetwork.org/skippy/consent/ – English Language

https://tchnetwork.org/skippy/consent-es/ – Spanish Language

Suicide During a Pandemic

Suicide During a Pandemic

Written by Paul Reich, Behavioral Health Program Manager While headlines across the United States focus on the loss of life due to COVID-19, it is important to recognize that September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and September 6th to the 12th is Suicide Prevention Week.  In 2018, over 48,000 Americans died by suicide, including almost… Continue Reading

Suicide – Hope, Resilience, and Recovery

Suicide – Hope, Resilience, and Recovery

Written by Paul Reich, Behavioral Health Program Manager Traditional religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, have long viewed suicide as a sin against God.   The Catholic Church used to forbid a funeral mass or burial in a Catholic cemetery, considering suicide a mortal sin.  Until quite recently, suicide was illegal in some Western European countries,… Continue Reading

#StopSuicide -> Utilize Local Mental Health Resources

#StopSuicide -> Utilize Local Mental Health Resources

Written by Sami Damsky, Behavioral Health Outreach Coordinator Education and Prevention Suicide prevention begins with education. While I do not expect everyone in our community to know everything about suicide, I DO want everyone to know about local resources and where to go for support. So often in our rural mountain community, we hear how… Continue Reading

Watch Your Mouth! How Your Words Can Add to Stigma

Watch Your Mouth! How Your Words Can Add to Stigma

Written by Corinne Cavender, Behavioral Health Operations Coordinator When someone is diagnosed with cancer, we don’t call her a cancer. We use positive descriptors like “strong”, “brave”, and even “hero”. When someone breaks his leg, we encourage medical attention and ample time to heal. So, why am I not strong, brave, or someone’s hero because… Continue Reading

School Lunches That Rock!

School Lunches That Rock!

By Ruth Homan, Community Health Worker With back-to-school quickly approaching and new lunch rules being implemented, here are some tips for packing fun and nutritious lunches.  Let’s feed those brains and growing bodies with great meals on the go that are just as fun as leaving campus! Packed Lunch Planning and Prep A great way… Continue Reading

Is the Term Social Distancing a Misnomer with Unintended Consequences?

Is the Term Social Distancing a Misnomer with Unintended Consequences?

Until March, the Coronavirus was a topic I paid only scant attention to when it appeared in televised news segments or popped up on my news feed. It still felt distant to me, a flu-like illness that had paralyzed the city of Wuhan, but something that would be certainly be contained in China, if not… Continue Reading

Increasing Outreach in Rural Colorado

Affordable and accessible healthcare is something that every person has the right to. Our goal is to assist the people in the four counties we serve(Montrose, Delta, San Miguel and Olathe) in gaining just that. However, in rural Colorado it is often very difficult to continue our outreach successfully. This is why over the past two months… Continue Reading

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