Oral hygiene exams and fixes can be expensive. Luckily, Lincoln County Dental is here to help families in need.

In June 2016, the nonprofit's administrative and children’s outreach efforts relocated to the LincolnHealth Family Care Center in Boothbay Harbor after its Damariscotta office flooded and closed.

Now the Boothbay Region School Health Center at Boothbay Region High School is providing a space for dental health care for children, Pre-K through 12th grade.

On April 4, registered dental hygienist Allison Raymond and Lincoln County Dental Executive Director Holly Stover were at the temporary clinic offering their services to kids in need. Raymond had her tools of the trade, including a portable dental table she travels with around the county.

Raymond has been working with Lincoln County Dental for around four years, first at the clinic in Damariscotta.

With no home base, Raymond created the outreach program three years ago. She calls it her ‘Kiddos Program.’

“It’s focused on kiddos and their dental health,” she said.

Stover credits 11 philanthropic organizations across Maine, known as the Maine Oral Health Funders, for providing funding. “These organizations joined together to put forth a significant statewide effort to make an impact on children’s oral health in Maine,” she said. “The funders released a request for proposals across the state to provide children’s oral health services in school and community settings. Lincoln County Dental got one of the grants.”

On April 4, Raymond said she would be working on sealants on her "kiddos'" teeth. Earlier in the school year, she performed a general oral health evaluation and professional cleaning on the patients, charting them and making records of each. Some received a fluoride application. “It’s all about what the kiddo needs,” she said.

If a patient needs more than Raymond can provide as a hygienist, he or she is referred, through a “report card,” to a list of dentists. The parent or guardian can review what was done with the child that day, and what is needed.

“If there are concerns I’ll list the tooth, or the area that needs attention, and suggest a follow-up with a dentist,” Raymond said.

The focus is on patients of lower income families. “The goal ... is to serve the most vulnerable in Lincoln County,” Stover said.

With the closure of Wiscasset Dental in August, only one practice accepts MaineCare in Lincoln County, and that practice is no longer accepting new patients, Stover said. “Those children and adults who have Medicaid no longer have a dentist in Lincoln County.”

With the closing of the Damariscotta facility, Lincoln County Dental has received some grants and donations that are being used to help people in the interim, while there is no clinic .

Raymond said along with providing dental care to children, she helps eliminate the fear of a dental setting for her patients. “This room is in their own school, so they’re coming here and meeting someone new, but they’re also in a comfortable environment. Our goal is to present that it’s not a scary thing, and that oral health is important.”

Raymond provides her services at the school one or two days a week, depending on her schedule and the availability of the room.

Lincoln County Dental is the only non-profit dental organization in Lincoln County.

To learn more or help Lincoln County Dental in its efforts, contact Stover at 563-8668 or hstover@lcdental.org