Bringing dental care from Eugene to Micronesia
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EUGENE, Ore. -- This trailer truck was specially-designed by dentist Cedric Hayden to bring dental care to anywhere in the world. Everything that can be found in the average dentist's office can be found in the mobile clinic.
This converted shipping container has a waiting room in the front, a sterilization room in the back, and has a fully-equipped dental chair. The only difference is that this office has large shipping container doors on one side.
Hayden said that the first stop for the clinic is going to be Micronesia, a cluster of islands in the Pacific Ocean.
"They only have dentists in hospitals, they have no private dentists on the islands." said Hayden.
Hayden said he developed the non-profit organization Caring Hand to Mouth to provide dental treatment for low income families.
He is now recruiting other dentists to help him provide free care in the mobile dental clinic overseas. Hayden said that while it may be hard to find volunteers willing to make the trip, the real work starts when they are working with people in the Micronesian Islands.
Caring Hand to Mouth is working with a company out of Portland to ship the mobile dental clinic overseas. They are hoping for a grant to help cover the $10,000 transportation expense to get the container to Micronesia.
I want a question answered. At noon today KVAL reported that these people are looking for a grant to fund the transport of this mobile clinic to Micronesia. Is this grant going to be Federally funded or is it a privately funded grant? If it is Federally funded then I strenuously object to my tax dollars being used in this way. There are working poor and low income families who cannot afford dental care in this country. I would like to help the folks in Micronesia with their teeth but NOT with my tax dollars. If they want to spend my tax dollars then they can keep the mobile dental clinic in this country. I would like an answer to this question.Â
Why doesn't Cedric Hayden see fit to bring free or low-cost dental care to Americans? Why does he feel he must run off to some South Pacific island to with his mobile clinic? There are thousands of families right here in Oregon that need dental care and have no insurance. I am sick of reading about Americans with the ability to help others with medical and dental care running around the world to give aid, while ignoring those in need right here in the US. What are they saying by neglecting their own? Do they hate their country and their fellow Americans? Are they motivated by the publicity they hope to receive? Are they just massaging their egos? Are they trying to make is easier to write off travel expenses to some sunny destination? I know it's not nearly as glamorous, but the right thing to do Hayden is to take care of your own before you run off and care for others in some foreign country.
 @mackenzie0158 News reports say that Mr. Hayden is looking to find a grant to fund transport of his mobile clinic to Micronesia. If this is to be a Federally funded grant, then I do not want my tax dollars spent in this way. If this is to be Federally funded then he should be required to keep his clinic here and help his fellow Americans. If it is not Federally funded then he can go wherever he wants to go.Â
@the buttcut: I do not want my tax dollars spent on this project either, but I am afraid it's too late. Hayden lives in the US, a country that is for the most part kept safe and secure by the military, with good roads and related infrastructure kept free of roving bandits by police, and has a good educational system from grade school through college, all paid for mostly with tax dollars. Hayden's education was probably subsidized at least in part by student loans and possibly grants and scholarships, again paid for partly or entirely by tax dollars. He owes the taxpayers of this country. The taxes that he personally paid do not even begin to cover the tax money spent to create his share of the country in which he lives. If he wants to provide free or low-cost dental care to someone, he is obligated to do so for Americans first.
 @mackenzie0158 Well said indeed.. 50 thumbs up!!!!!
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How will healthcare reform affect dental coverage? Read Joanne Fontanaâs perspective here:  http://www.healthcaretownhall.com/?p=6038
What about those right here in Oregon? there are needy individuals right here at home and according to recent statistics.. they suffer some of the worst tooth decay ever due to no insurance /Why is it that counties overseas are more important than those needy individuals here within our own borders? Are the folks at home not worthy enough? It would best serve our own people better to have this kind of service available instead of charging the extreme high prices that dentists do and no one can afford
 @Whitehawk You can thank your local government for preventing this unit being located anywhere in Lane County Oregon. Attempts were made to try and set up this very unit at several locations in Springfield and Eugene Oregon but in in both cases strict zoning regulations would not allow it. That is why this one is being sent over seas where the government regulations do not prevent free dental care for the poor.
 @M.Luke  @Whitehawk Baloney! This is not an excuse.Â
 @M.Luke There is no excuse for his lack of concern for Oregon patients.. He could open up his office and do the same..instead of running off to a foreign country..He couls find other places where zoning isn't an issue..I am sure most families would be willing to travel a bit for free needed dental care.. not an acceptable excuse!
@M.Luke: That's a lame excuse for Cedric Hayden not helping his fellow Oregonians and his fellow Americans first. Was Micronesia the only choice after Lane County? What about other counties in Oregon? What about other states? You're going to have to come up with a better excuse than zoning laws in Lane County to excuse Hayden's actions.
What about those right here in Oregon? there are needy individuals right here at home and according to recent statistics.. they suffer some of the worst tooth decay ever due to no insurance /Why is it that counties overseas are more important than those needy individuals here within our own borders? Are the folks at home not worthy enough? It would best serve our own people better to have this kind of service available instead of charging the extreme high prices that dentists do and no one can afford
For the recent statistics released here lately about how many Americans have poor teeth..esp children. I fail to understand why this is taken overseas and not offered to the poor folks at home.. this makes no sense whatsoever.. Just goes to show that American children are not as worthy as those overseas.. course our children don't work in sweatshops either making those items that Americans just have to have.. regardless of how/when/ why/ they are made
Very commendable but how about dental care for our own children here in Oregon. He could save the $10,000 dollars shipping the truck and provide additional care.Â
VERY IMPRESSED and BLESSED to see this! Â What an INGENIOUS idea! Â
Dental care is so, so important - imperative - God Bless Cedric! Â
@Barb: It's important to families right here in Oregon too. Why doesn't Hayden help his fellow Oregonians first?