Newswise — Too many people still feel that toothaches are a just part of life, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Baltimore said in marking the second anniversary of the tragic death of a Maryland boy whose infected tooth went undiagnosed and untreated until the bacteria spread to his brain.
Cummings came to the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) to recognize the leadership shown by the Dental School, part of UMB, in its efforts to extend dental health care to underserved people in the state. He said that as a nation "we have to figure out how to provide more preventive care."
Cummings said, the country and the world were shocked that a boy, such as 12-year-old Deamonte Driver of Prince George's County, said Cummings, could have died in one of the wealthiest counties, in one of the richest state, in one of the richest countries, when $80 worth of dental care might have saved his life. "But he never got that care," Cummings said.
Christian S. Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent, dean of the Maryland Dental School, said that in the past two years, "Deamonte Driver has been a child that has clearly influenced treatment in this country and around the world. And he has changed this faculty. I am just a dean of a fantastic faculty that has taken this seriously."
Stohler said the impending unveiling of an expansion of the Dental School into rural Cecil County, with a state-of-the-art, 20-chair dental clinic, has been "everything we can do to set an example" for dental health care to reach out to communities. "We feel that going out to the community will ultimately change the mind set of providers in the community. Treatment can be complicated [in dentistry], but preventive care is very simple."
Cummings thanked the School for its leadership in developing the clinic called the Principio Health Center in partnership with Union Hospital in Elkton. "I know we are going through tough times," Cummings added.
The center, due to open in several weeks, will offer dentistry to underserved children, extend Dental School education to students in that region, and foster economic development, according to Stohler. He said it is intended as a model for rural areas nationwide.
John Colmers, secretary of the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, said that during the past two years, new dental clinics have been opened in Harford and Charles Counties and others are planned in Queen Anne's, Kent, Worcester and Calvert counties. He underscored Cummings' concern, saying, "This is a somber day and a reminder of the work before us. ý Dental disease is the most preventable chronic disease."
He said his department is working with the Dental School to develop a physician training program for high-risk assessment for very young children.
Cummings said to a group of about 50 reporters and dental professionals, "As many of you know, I have made it my personal mission to ensure that from this boy's tragic death, we will bring life to life." Hundreds of Deamonte Drivers are walking the streets in this country every day, said Cummings, unable to focus on school, eat without pain or speak properly, and worse, actually risk serious disease or even death.
After a formal news conference, Cummings commented that, "Maryland has moved from being a state where a parent might not want a child to be treated to one of the best states where they want their child to be treated."
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