A free dental appointment gives renewed smiles and outlooks on life
DENVER — A smile after a trip to the dentist is expected, but what’s behind the smile after a Deserving Dental appointment is more than just clean teeth.
“I’ve been homeless and out on the streets, and so not taking care of myself out there, I’m not representing myself as a real woman,” said Flyana Rowe, a resident at Urban Peak in Denver. The shelter, which serves youth experiencing homelessness, is also one of the latest locations the nonprofit, Deserving Dental, held appointments.
Rowe went on to explain just how much this check-up meant for her: “And so for me to be in a shelter and get my teeth done and stuff shows that I’m actually caring about myself for once.”
Deserving Dental has been providing free dental care to those in need around Colorado since 2019. The organization is mobile with equipment provided by Dental At Your Door and is able to set up all the technology, tools, and chairs needed at different locations.
“We go into their comfort zone, inside the shelters. They allow us in; they’re in this environment where they trust us,” said Jennifer Geiselhofer, the CEO of Deserving Dental. “And they come in and get their sessions, and they tell us they never would’ve gone on to the dentist or the doctor and followed our recommendations if they didn’t have that initial visit with us inside the shelter.”
For many people experiencing homelessness, hygiene is often a challenge and dental care becomes one of their last concerns. Not only is there a cost associated with an appointment, but access to care can be a challenge, too. One study of people who had lost stable housing found 90 percent of them had issues with their oral hygiene and 60 percent experienced pain in their mouth since becoming unhoused.
“It is one of the last things that this population thinks of is their oral hygiene and what we try to do with our dental hygiene visits is also to educate them on the oral systemic links between heart attack, stroke, diabetes, low-birth weight preterm babies that occur from having gingivitis or gum disease,” explained Geiselhofer.
During an appointment with Deserving Dental, patients receive x-rays, cleanings, and tips for how to continue caring for their teeth and mouth after the appointment.
“They educate them in a way that doesn’t make them feel belittled,” said Fatima Kiass, the outreach supervisor with Urban Peak. “They empower them and they remind them of the importance and how it's all connected with their health."
Lucas Fields is also living at Urban Peak and had an appointment with Deserving Dental. He said when he became homeless, hygiene in general was a big issue for him.
“Something I wasn’t keeping up on just because I didn’t really care enough about myself,” explained Fields.
During his appointment, he learned a variety of tips for his care moving forward and the connection between oral health and other physical health aspects.
“They taught me how to do it specifically, like getting under the gums, going directly for the gums, how long I should be doing it, using hot water — clean water too,” said Fields. “They helped me really see the importance of my own looks and my own hygiene. And it’s also reflected in other places, you know, I’ve tried to keep myself a lot cleaner.”
Kiass sees this dental program as such a big advantage for the people who live at Urban Peak—not only for the physical benefits but the mental ones as well.
“I think this program gives our youth the confidence they deserve. You know, they’re already dealing with poverty so they don’t always get to wear the clothes they want to wear, they don’t always get to create that unique identity they want to have,” explained Kiass. “Getting their teeth fixed, and those kinds of things allow them to feel more confident in their smile and give them that strength like, ‘Okay I feel more confident going to this job interview’.”
Deserving Dental will continue to visit other shelters and centers around the state to give that free appointment to those in need and help patients take the next step in their lives.
“I’m a lot more happy now showing my teeth, you know,” said Fields. “I have a good smile, and I should keep it good.”
Brian Willie is the Content Production Manager with Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at brianwillie@rmpbs.org.
Amanda Horvath is a multimedia producer with Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach her at amandahorvath@rmpbs.org.