'No Cavity Club' team an effort of Polson Tribal Dental Clinic and Showboat Cinema
NO CAVITY Club winner for February is 2-year-old Eslie Rogers, held by her mom Allena. Eslie’s dad is Ronnie Rogers. Also pictured is 1-year-old Ethan Rogers, held by Polson Tribal Dental Clinic’s Dr. Samantha Clark. Becky DuPuis, co-owner of Showboat Cinema in Polson with her husband Gary, presents a plaque on Feb. 27 to Allena with Eslie’s name on it as the No Cavity Club monthly winner. Eslie also receives a free pass to a Showboat movie. (Joe Sova/Lake County Leader)
The Polson Tribal Dental Clinic and Showboat Cinema in Polson are again teaming up this year to sponsor the No Cavity Club.
Dr. Garry Pitts is the clinic director, and Dr. Samantha “Doctor Sam” Clark is the pediatric dentist. Cyndie Morengo is a dental hygienist.
“Established nine years ago, our No Cavity Club acknowledges all of our adolescent patients who remain cavity free,” Marengo said. “The Showboat Theater and its owners, Gary and Becky DuPuis, have sponsored the club with free movie passes for the monthly winners.”
The DuPuis have been a No Cavity Club sponsor for the most recent eight years of the program.
PITTS EXPLAINED that Clark, as the pediatric specialist, provides oral surgery at Provident St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson.
“I’m so pleased to have pediatric dentistry here,” Pitts said of the Polson clinic. “Dental decay is the most prolific disease on this reservation.
“Dr. Clark is phenomenal. She sees a lot of kids at St. Joe’s,” he added. “She has been a real motivation to our program.”
To qualify for the monthly No Cavity Club award drawing, a youngster must have no cavities at a six-month checkup.
The Polson Tribal Dental Clinic uses community outreach to provide sealant programs to all Lake County schools. “It’s a great screening opportunty,” Pitts said. “We’re seeing a huge improvement.”
The improvement is documented by results of surveys in 2010, 2014 and one just completed since the first of the year.
“Cyndie goes to all the early childhood services,” he said, including Head Start, to provide a fluoride varnish for kids’ teeth. “The community has been so responsive, with parents coming in with their kids.”
FEBRUARY’S winner of the No Cavity Club drawing was 2-year-old Eslie Rogers. Her mother, Allena, brought Elsie in to receive a plaque to commemorate her having no cavities in a recent six-month checkup. Her father is Ronnie Rogers. Becky DuPuis was on hand last Wednesday, Feb. 27 to present the plaque and a free movie pass for Eslie to Showboat Cinema. Eslie also gets her photo displayed on the Polson Tribal Dental Clinic bulletin board with other former monthly No Cavity Club award winners.