Tooth Taxi chips away at children's dental problems

ALBANY, Ore. – With Oregon children having among the worst oral health in the nation, a non-profit dentist office on wheels called Tooth Taxi is working to chip away at the problem.

Tooth Taxi is a motor coach that travels around the state of Oregon giving free dental care to children who don’t have access to a dentist or health insurance. The non-profit operates through grant money and donations from local dentists who volunteer their time.

Gaby Birruete, who does not have dental insurance, went to the Tooth Taxi to have a chipped filling replaced.

“If you don’t have this done you might lose all your teeth and all your teeth are really important because you can chew all your food with them,” she said.

Birruete’s mother was laid off in June and to have her tooth fixed at a regular dentist’s office would have cost a quarter of her mother’s monthly unemployment check.

However, the demand is so high that Tooth Taxi has to turn away roughly 20 to 25 percent of the children who need dental work.

Dr. Mike Goger, a retired volunteer dentist from Albany, said while he worked in private practice he never realized how overwhelming the need was for dental care among Oregon’s low-income.

“We haven’t hardly scratched the surface of need,” he said.

Tooth Taxi’s director Mary Daly said the new healthcare reform plan must include dental care.

“We’re concerned about the future especially because dental seems to be considered an accessory healthcare,” she said.

Over half of the children Tooth Taxi sees have never been to a dentist.

“We’re doing a lot of good, but in the big picture it’s a little bit of a lot of good,” said Goger.