Love Is Part of the Treatment
Personal Stories of CDHP Care
Dr. M Cecilia Escarra, CDHP Program Administrator

As a dentist who also is the administrator of PRASAD CDHP, much of my time is focused on the many responsibilities necessary to maintain the effective delivery of our dental services. When I take time to listen to the stories of children helped by our program, however, I am reminded that there is something more going on than dental care.

Each child is transformed by his or her experience beyond the obvious health benefit of the services performed. Fear is dissolved. Trust is fostered. Self-esteem is raised. The loving, respectful, and supportive acceptance each child experiences with PRASAD CDHP staff is an integral part of the care received. This acceptance creates a climate within which many kinds of hurts can be healed. You could say that love is part of the treatment … that caring comes with the care.

Here are some personal stories recently shared by CDHP staff; I hope that they inspire you as they have inspired me.

Restoring Self-esteem. Earlier this year, one of our young patients fell down and broke his two front teeth. His friends began to tease him, which hurt his feelings and made him feel ashamed of his smile. His teacher said that he stopped smiling altogether and walked with his face down so he wouldn’t be noticed. The boy came to the mobile dental clinic, where he received treatment to repair the damage from the fall. After his visit to the clinic, he ran into the school, excitedly smiling and showing his teeth to everyone.

Dissolving Fear. A seven-year-old patient came to the dental clinic and was very frightened because of a previous traumatic experience with dental care. The CDHP dentist reassured the boy by explaining with each step, what he was doing. When the boy wouldn’t allow the dentist to use the examination mirror, the dentist gave the mirror to the boy and then held up a bigger mirror where the child could see his face and feel comfortable. By the time his treatment was finished, the child was happy, no longer afraid, and eager for his next visit.

Fostering Trust. A teacher contacted PRASAD because she observed that a five-year-old girl needed immediate dental care. The teacher first thought the girl wasn’t eating the school lunch because she didn’t like the food, but the reality was that all her teeth had cavities, and she was in constant pain. In her first visit to the mobile dental clinic, because her oral condition was so severe, the dentist had to extract teeth - but she was the best patient. As young as she was, she trusted the caring, gentle demeanor of the dental staff; she knew they were helping her to heal so she could eat without pain.

Inspiring Gratitude. Our CDHP dental hygienist shares this heartwarming result of a dental check-up she gave to a child. A short time after the dental visit was completed, the child came back with the school nurse. He wanted to give a big hug to the dental hygienist for the treatment that he received. She was so moved to experience this young boy’s love and gratitude.

Offering Kindness. One day, a child who had been to the dental clinic before and was familiar with the kindness and warmth of the dental staff, was leaving after his appointment. He noticed that the next child became scared and upset as he got into the dental chair to be treated. Seeing the second child’s distress, the first child went to the doorway and reassured him, saying that he didn’t need to be scared, that being at the dentist was a lot of fun!

February Is a Great Time to Donate to PRASAD CDHP!

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month in the U.S. Please help us to put shining smiles on even more children’s faces, by donating now Thank you for your generous support!

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