Realities from the Road: Burns Flat (Washita County)

Site Partner: 

Burns Flat Church of Christ

May 31, 2013

Patient Stats:

• 35 patients pre-screened – total value of $1,293

• 10 patients treated at a value of $2,556

• Teeth extracted – 26

• Volunteers – Pre-screeners Julie Nabors, RDH and Kelly Pease, RDH both from Weatherford, RDH; Dr. Adam Cohlmia of OKC provided treatment

MobileSmiles visited Burns Flat church of Christ for the first time at the end of May. We were originally scheduled for two days, but had to cancel one due to lack of available volunteers. Thankfully, Dr. Adam Cohlmia was available the second day and volunteered his time with us. 

Here’s how he summed up the day:

Dr. Adam Cohlmia

“Patients seemed to be pretty underserved or completely underserved populations. I don’t know how important oral hygiene is or how important dental education is in that community. As far as the cities I’ve volunteered with in this program, it was definitely one in most need. Patients (including children) had decayed teeth below the gum and some to the nerve.”

However, the patients and people of Burns Flat made a lasting impression.

“These patients were some of the most thankful people I’ve seen on the mobile unit. They were very friendly to us.”

Dr. Cohlmia considers this group’s barrier to dental care to be financial. The patients were very low incomes – most household incomes for 4-5 people were less than $20,000 annually. Of the 10 patients seen that day, only one person had insurance. 

From the Mouths of Patients:

 “One little girl seemed terrified the whole time during her treatment, then when it was over, she thanked us and asked us to come over to her house to hang out afterwards! She ended up being really happy she got her tooth pulled and took a liking to us.”

Other Notes:

“Driving home was kinda fun. I was headed to Norman on Highway 152 and saw all the tornadoes form north of me and listened to it on the radio.” 

Thankfully, the mobile unit also made it home safety, albeit very late, but drove through El Reno after the tornado passed though. Our Community Coordinator Steve Hudson took this photo as he was headed east on I-40. Our thoughts and prayers are again with those who were affected by the largest tornado ever recorded. As you can see from this photo, destruction