Coshocton Dental Outreach

In 1984, Professor Dennis McTigue, DDS, MS joined the College of Dentistry as chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, and almost immediately noticed something that would, in time, change many lives.

"One of the first observations I made was that every week, sometimes two times each week, a couple of ladies would come from the Head Start program in Coshocton. They came in a school bus with 10 to 15 preschoolers who needed treatment."

College of Dentistry students treated the children and, the next week, another school bus would come–with the same two women in charge. "One day, one of them took me aside, and she asked if we would ever consider building a clinic in Coshocton," said Dr. McTigue.

Dr. McTigue listed all the reasons that probably couldn't happen: they'd have to have modern facilities, equipment, dental chairs, a staff. It would just be too expensive. But they wouldn't give up. They invited Dr. McTigue to visit and meet with some community leaders, who asked what he thought it would cost to get a children's clinic up and running. "I thought I'd never hear from them again," he said.

"Within 100 days, they'd raised all that money from three private foundations in Coshocton," he laughed. "It was a great lesson to me to see how those women marshalled the forces."

Dr. McTigue knew that a clinic like this could provide his students valuable clinical experience treating the advanced tooth decay seen in the neediest patients.

"This could be a win-win: the needy children could receive care, and our students' education would be enhanced. -- Dr. McTigue

"This could be a win-win: the needy children could receive care, and our students' education would be enhanced. It would also give our students the opportunity to experience the professional satisfaction of helping an underserved population."

He took the idea to Dean Bill Wallace, "who thought I was crazy" to take it on, Dr. McTigue said; but with the dean's blessing, he did just that.

He negotiated with an equipment manufacturer for the best prices, then asked a local foundation to cover the cost. He began organizing the clinic from the ground up in space donated by the Coshocton Memorial Hospital.

And recognizing the importance of community involvement, Dr. McTigue met with all of the dentists in town to build consensus and set eligibility criteria for the clinic's patients versus their own. Many of those dentists—along with community leaders and representatives from Head Start and other social services agencies—joined the clinic's Board of Directors.

The clinic was designed to serve mostly children who were receiving Medicaid benefits. In actuality, the young patients who came for service were overwhelmingly not covered by Medicaid.

"They were working poor," said Dr. McTigue. "They weren't eligible for Medicaid, but couldn't afford dental services."

The program applied for and received support from several public entities, including the Ohio Department of Health, in order to continue to serve these children.

Soon, Division of Pediatrics Professor Ann Griffen, DDS, MS came on board to operate the clinic. She'd been doing similar work in Maryland for low-income patients.

"Setting up the clinic was a huge undertaking," said Dr. McTigue. "She had to get all the infection control, protocols, get the office people trained in dental scheduling and office management. It took a lot, and Dr. Griffen did it." What impressed Dr. Griffen most about Coshocton, she said, was the strong sense of community. "I've never worked in a situation before or since where all of the social service people in town knew the clients so well—knew everything about them, and cared about them so much."

She cited the example of a young boy who'd always been a good patient of the clinic. "But on that day he was just not going to cooperate. He was fighting everything. It was unusual for him."

In conversation with the social services staff, Dr. Griffen learned of a difficult home situation the boy was facing. "We never would have known that normally. So not only were these very needy children receiving dental care, but they had an entire community–-a very caring community–-looking out for them."

"I've never worked in a situation before or since where all of the social service people in town knew the clients so well—knew everything about them, and cared about them so much." -- Dr. Griffen

Every day, more and more children were seen in the clinic, some of whom had never received care before. "So many children had terrible dental problems," said Dr. McTigue. "A lot of kids in pain."

In fact, over the years, thousands of children have been treated by College of Dentistry students. The clinic rotation is now part of the O.H.I.O. Project (Oral Health Improvement through Outreach), in which all fourth-year dental students participate. The project, initiated in 2003, provides students with 50 days of in-clinic experience, during which time they rotate to different sites, including the Coshocton clinic.

Matthew Scurria is one of those students. A fourth-year student from Dublin, Ohio, Scurria plans to become a general dentist in the U.S. Air Force after graduation this year. He calls his rotation at the Coshocton clinic "eye-opening," adding that "Some children were 7 to 10 years old before they ever had a check-up and consequently had very bad teeth."

While at the clinic, Scurria performed routine and emergency exams, prophylaxis and sealants, and operative procedures including restorations with amalgam, composite resins, and also stainless steel crowns, and routine extractions.

Scurria's experience mirrors those of many other dental students through the years. And while neither Dr. McTigue nor Dr. Griffen are involved with the clinic's operations today, they have passed the baton into capable–and experienced –hands.

One of their former students, Brian Dunlap '89 DDS, is the current director of the clinic. In addition, the two office staff who were hired 30 years ago are still with the clinic: Karen Mahon and Amy Guilliams. "Karen and Amy have been crucial to the success of the clinic," said Dr. McTigue. "It wouldn't have survived long-term without their deep dedication day-to-day. They're just remarkable."

Today, more than 2,000 children a year are seen at the clinic, and dental students continue to receive valuable clinical experience in all types of pediatric dentistry. What started with a busload of preschool children, some very determined individuals, and a caring community has made a lasting impact on a generation of children—and future dentists.