Staff at the HealthFirst Family Care Center arranged two days startimg on April 19, 2016 when families who had no transportation could be taken to the Center for their children to be seen for dental check-ups and cleanings. Many of the children had not seen a dentist in several years. Services were offered at no charge to the parents and included child care while the parents were seen. A second day of dental visits was arranged two days later. Transportation for the families was provided by People Incorporated and by Partners through a Vela Foundation grant. The project was organized by Wendy Garf-Lipp, Executive Director of United Neighbors of Fall River and Chairperson of the Coalition for Health and Well-Being and staffed by Community Outreach Manager Jack Shipley. Click here for pictures of a similar clinic offered a year ago. Click here for a two-minute video of the event. For more information, contact Wendy Garf-Lipp at 508-324-7900, Ext. 103.

(Top row) Partners Community Outreach Manager Jack Shipley greets Rene Rodrigues at the HealthFirst Dental Clinic where Dental Registrars Heather Kinnanue and Jennie Ferguson sign patients in. (Middle row) Chelsie Kavanaugh talks with the mother of two of the children, Americo Martinez and Yahir Rondon, who were seen by Dental Assistant Katherine Botelho. (Row three) Americo gets his blood pressure checked while Dr. Venigalla checks the x-rays before examining Yahir. (Bottom row) Children have a chance to play under the supervision of Karen Galloway from Headstart while their parents get their teeth examined and cleaned.