Our program today was presented by Christie W. Christie came to talk to our club about dental access in Kittitas County. I wanted to take a minute to talk about Christie, because her level of dedication is pretty amazing.
Christie initially trained to be a dental hygienist. Shortly before she completed hygiene school, she was involved in an accident that severed a nerve in one of her hands. It was a career-ending injury, but she did not let it end her involvement in the dental field.
She was hired on by the county health department to find ways to get clients covered by DSHS in to see dentists or hygienists (patients had coverage for services, but few or no providers would accept DSHS). Christie has helped to coordinate numerous temporary dental hygiene clinics to provide access for local DSHS patients, she has trained middle school students to be "oral health ambassadors" for their schools, has helped incorporate fluoride application by nurses into regular pediatrician visits, increased communication between OBs and hygienists (did you know gum disease is a risk factor for preterm birth???), and helped facilitate dental care for special needs children.
Perhaps most amazing--and truly a marker of her commitment--is that budget cuts resulted in her losing her job at the county health department a few months ago, and she is still coordinating dental hygiene clinics on a volunteer basis. The next one is scheduled in March!
Christie--we may not be in a position to financially contribute to your endeavors, but kudos are free. Thank you for a great presentation today, and thank you for all that you have done for our community :)
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