Tonopah Dental Center provides free screenings and education to local elementary students

February is Children’s Dental Health Month and Tonopah Dental Center (TDC) is doing its part to help spread the word about the importance of keeping teeth, tongues and mouths clean and healthy, with an education and screening event taking place earlier this month at Tonopah Elementary School.

TDC, which falls under the umbrella of the Nevada Dental Foundation, had been working with the Nye County School District toward this end for many months and officials with the organization said they were thrilled to finally see it implemented.

“This is the first time TDC – Nevada Dental Foundation has organized a dental event of this nature,” Valeria Romero, clinic manager for the Tonopah Dental Center, explained. “Our intention is for this to become an annual initiative.

“This event was proposed by Dr. Mark Rosenberg and Professor Julie Stage-Rosenberg. Dr. Mark has served children most of his career and now provides services as a volunteer at TDC. Dr. Julie is a registered dental hygienist who is also an active volunteer in our office. Years ago, she started this type of program with coordination between Truckee Meadows Community College Dental Hygiene Program, Tahoe Forest Hospital District and Incline Village Schools,” Romero continued. “They are both driven by their passion to serve rural communities. Recognizing the need among children, they brought this initiative to our organization. We fully supported the idea, as it aligns with our vision to bring exceptional dentistry to Nevada’s underserved populations.”

Teaming up with these two for the February school visit was TDC Assistant Lisa Gillard. Together, the trio were able to spend two days with area students at Tonopah Elementary to provide oral health education and on-site screenings. Romero reported that 45 children – or roughly 35% of the school’s enrollment – were able to have a dental screening performed and nearly all were given a fluoride varnish at no cost, compliments of the Nevada State Oral Health Program.

“The exams identified significant preventative and restorative needs. Families received dental care recommendations and hygiene supplies donated by the Liberty Insurance Co. Our team is coordinating follow-up care in collaboration with school staff to help ensure children receive the treatment they need,” Romero stated, adding, “Dental health is especially critical for children because it directly affects their overall health, learning and quality of life. Early prevention helps reduce cavities, pain, infections and missed school days, while education empowers children to take responsibility for their health as they grow. By reaching children at an early age, we can teach proper oral hygiene, help establish health habits and prevent future dental issues before they become more serious.”

TDC has been in operation since November 2023 and in the time since opening its doors, its commitment to providing accessible dental care has never wavered. However, Romero acknowledged that the center has faced challenges, particularly with provider availability in what is designated as a “frontier” community.

“Despite this, we have continued working to keep dental services available. We also want to reassure the public that our office remains open and fully operational, despite the closure of Frontier Medical Group, which previously shared our building,” Romero noted. “We recently hired a dentist who will be providing care at our office twice a month for the next few months. However, we continue to rely largely on volunteer providers. Our ongoing goal is to hire a full-time dentist – hopefully this year – to expand and stabilize our services.”

For more information on TDC, visit TonopahDentalCenter.com