MS
Maria Serrano
  • Dental Hygiene
  • Class of 2018
  • Roswell, GA

Maria Serrano Volunteers to Provide Dental Hygiene Services for Children in South Georgia

2017 Jul 19

Maria Serrano of Roswell was part of a group from Georgia State University's Perimeter College dental hygiene program that went to Turner County, Ga., this summer, volunteering to provide dental sealants and fluoride to third- and fourth-graders.

As part of their community service and course requirements, Perimeter students often travel to provide regular oral health education at battered women's shelters, homeless shelters and adult day care centers. They have given oral health exams and cleanings in Perry and Moultrie, Ga., during migrant farmer health care events and as part of the Georgia Mission of Mercy, a free, portable dental clinic outreach program of the Georgia Dental Association.

Cherie Rainwater, Perimeter's Dental Hygiene program director, and Julie Pyle, dental hygiene instructor, led the effort at the elementary school. Perimeter dental hygiene students traveled more than 175 miles to help, as part of their ongoing volunteer efforts across the state.

Through communications about a new dental hygiene law in Georgia, Rainwater learned of the significant dental care need in the community.

"Brenda Lee from Turner County, said they had three dental chairs, but they were not connected to sewer or power," Rainwater said. "I contacted her and asked what we could do. We came up with a plan for me to take our dental hygiene students down to Turner County Elementary."

Lee works with Turner County's Family Connection program, which sponsored the clinic for the school.

Despite the season, students were attending the school, thanks to a summer school grant that provided after-school programming.

Rainwater connected the school to a Valdosta public health hygienist and to a local dentist who donated sealant material and fluoride. A classroom was set up as a mini-clinic for the school children, and a local dentist, Dr. Larry Perkins, volunteered to help.

"They were a wonderful resource for our children, and we're very pleased we had this opportunity with Georgia State," said Lee. "We are a Title 1 school, and the area is so limited with dental services-we have two private practice dentists in the area, and they are limited to the number of Medicaid services they can provide," she said.

Realizing the importance of continuing the service year-round, Rainwater also connected the elementary school officials to the dental hygiene program at Central Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins.

"Because this was over 175 miles away from the Dunwoody Campus, I wanted to get another dental hygiene program involved to keep this going," Rainwater said.

Dr. April Catlett, dental hygiene program director from Central Georgia Technical College, came to the elementary school to observe while the Perimeter team worked, Rainwater said. The CGTC Warner Robins campus agreed to provide future service to the school as one of its rotation sites, she said.

"We're so thankful that Cherie collaborated with us, and I had the opportunity to meet everyone (at the school)," Catlett said. "I am hoping we can get a rotation started with our students at both of our campuses (Macon and Warner Robins) to start seeing some children down there."