Posted by Carrie Fenn on Oct 21, 2020

Our speaker today is Dr. Cheyanne Warren, here to talk to us about Dental Therapy. Cheyanne leads the Dental Therapy program at Vermont Technical College.

October 21, 2020
Charlotte Shelburne Hinesburg Rotary via Zoom

Carrie Fenn, Robert Sanders, Erik Kolomaznik, Terry Kennaugh, Chris Davis, Nancy Danforth, Linda Gilbert, John Hammer, Lauri Burke, Keith Walsh, Jim Donovan, Charlie Kofman, John Pane, Richard Fox, Bill Deming, Susan Grimes, France LeBlanc, Ric Flood, Jonathan Lowell, Rosalyn Graham, Adam Bartsch, Denis Barton, Tad Dippel, Diana Vichon, Jessica Brumsted, Carole Obuchowski, Joan Lenes

Chris rang the bell at 7:31

Nancy Danforth offered our morning words.
October by Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall’
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
For the grapes’ along the wall.

Denis’s question for us this week is what was the first car you purchased? 

Bob Sanders bought a ’72 MG Midget back in the day. 
Ric Flood bought a 1967 VW bug, with all the accessories for $1904.00
Jim had a 1970 lime green Pinto. The car was demolished in an accident and amazingly enough he was okay. He walked away from the accident expecting it to blow up and he was disappointed it didn’t.
John bought the first Ford Mustang sold in New Jersey. 
Terry had a 1954 MG, which was mostly green. When he traded in the MG for a green Ford Falcon, his future wife almost dumped him because of it. 
Jessica bought a VW Rabbit for $200 which caused her lots of consternation until the hood finally flew off and smashed her window while she was driving down 89.

Next week, share with us your favorite Halloween costume or the scariest movie you’ve ever seen.

Linda Barker had surgery about a week ago. The surgery was successful and she is home resting.

We have several floats entered for the Halloween Parade. We need one more person to drive a golf cart, and could use a few more people to marshal the parade. Email rfox@foxlawvt.com.

If you aren’t receiving Richard’s emails, it’s because you don’t have your information in Clubrunner. Candy baggers should pick up candy at Shelburne Supermarket and head to Richard’s office to bag it up. At noon, the golf cart drivers will meet at the golf course and pick up the carts. Volunteers will mark off the route with paint. Parade will commence at 2 and will end at around 3:30. Dress code is costume or Rotary wear. Please wear a mask. PARADE IS RAIN OR SHINE.

Our speaker today is Dr. Cheyanne Warren, here to talk to us about Dental Therapy. Cheyanne Graduated from James Madison and got her dental degree at Virginia Commonwealth.

Dental Therapy is akin to the physician’s assistance in the medical field. Alaska passed the first law allowing Dental Therapists, then Minnesota, Maine and Vermont. CODA passed a set of standards which gave legitimacy to the program. Dental education is very expensive, and Vermont has very little money available for advanced degrees grants and scholarships. Dental Therapy programs can alleviate some of the need for dental care in more rural areas without dental practices.

Cheyenne lost her vision when she had her first child so wasn’t able to practice dentistry. Developing this program has been a great fit for her. Dentists are generally against the DT program, so she spends a lot of time educating dentists. 

Applicants must be dental hygienists first, and once they have passed their boards, are certified to do root canals, extractions, fillings, crowns on baby teeth, and administer nitrous oxide, among many other therapies. The program is designed to increase patient care in vulnerable areas and take a patient through comprehensive care and prevention, as well as treatment. After graduation DT’s have to do a clinical board and must work for a 1000 hours under the supervision of a dentist before they can practice without a dentist present in the office. 

Linda Gilbert noted that Cheyenne with 3 kids under the age of four came to Tela in February and was amazing with the dental brigade. 

DT’s can form their own practice with a collaborative agreement using a dentist’s license. They can’t operate completely independently, but could have a referring practice. 

Vermont has a hygiene shortage, so the DT program could actually pull from the hygienist pool, which could be problematic. Another issue is cost- dentists graduate with loads of debt which can make dental care very expensive. The DT program may help alleviate that.

Most insurance providers recognize DT’s as a dental provider. In Vermont, the Dental board has allowed that DT’s who have graduated from a CODA accredited program and are a dental hygienist can practice. 

We’ll be donating Teeth, the Story of Beauty, Inequality, and the Struggle for Oral Health in America to the Pierson Library.

Ric Flood is looking for names for our annual letter writing fundraiser. 

Chris has a volunteer opportunity for tree planting at Meech Cove Thursday 10/22 8:30-3:30.

See everyone on Sunday!!

Respectfully submitted,
Carrie Fenn