Improved equipment and additional treatment rooms allows the team within the Celeste Myers Dental Clinic to treat more children, including those with special health care needs.
At the Celeste Myers Dental Clinic within Akron Children’s, dental care is anything but typical.
“We work with complex patients – from those who have never seen a dentist to those with autism or cancer that require a balance of dental expertise and deep compassion,” said Tania Markarian, DDS, MSM, clinical director of the Celeste Myers Dental Clinic at Akron Children’s. “We have a great team, but without the help of donors, we cannot provide the highest quality of care to our patients.”
Gift improves access and care
Knowing that oral health and overall health are intrinsically linked, Delta Dental Foundation (DDF) focuses on removing barriers to dental care. The DDF envisions a world where everyone has access to high-quality dental care that meets their comfort level and abilities across the lifespan. To make that happen, they align their grantmaking under five strategic aims – access to care, advocacy, education, emerging initiatives and workforce development – with oral health equity for people with disabilities as their cornerstone.
Grants from Delta Dental Foundation have led to facility improvements – new rooms, new chairs, televisions and other equipment – that allow the clinic to see more patients, especially those with special health care needs. Dr. Markarian and her team of five dentists can also diagnose more accurately through new intraoral sensors, funded by Delta Dental Foundation, that produce high-quality X-rays. The foundation also provided brochures, toothbrushes, toothpaste and toothbrushing timers for distribution in the clinic and to Akron Public Schools students through Akron Children’s school-based health centers.
“When we evaluate potential grant recipients, we look at what they are currently doing, their reputation, and the barriers their patients face,” said Holli Seabury, executive director of Delta Dental Foundation. “At Akron Children’s, the capability is excellent and the need is great. We want the Celeste Myers Clinic to have the latest equipment so they can serve as many kids as possible.”
Relationship-based dental care
Dental procedures, even cleanings, can be scary for kids, especially those who have never been to the dentist or who have experienced many medical procedures. Dr. Markarian and her team focus on connecting with each child to ease their minds and help them relax. But their care does not stop there.
“Behind every child who has a diagnosis is a mother whose heart is breaking for that child. I make sure to ask the mom how she is doing, and I listen to build a relationship of trust,” said Dr. Markarian. As an immigrant herself, she understands the challenges of language and cultural differences that can cause barriers between the patient family and the provider. She continues to look for new ways to reach more patients in the region. She hopes to start a residency program to train future pediatric dentists. “If I can supervise two residents, we can see three patients instead of one and those doctors may gain a passion for serving children like ours,” she said.
The Delta Dental Foundation also is committed to long-term relationships. “We rarely make one-time gifts because we want to build ongoing partnerships and track our impact,” said Holli, who has led the foundation for the last five years. “We’ve given several gifts to Akron Children’s, and we hope to continue to work together to make progress in pediatric dental care.”
Dental: The forgotten medical service
Holli said dental services often are viewed as add-on or optional medical treatments, but it is a critical element of overall health and well-being, especially for medically fragile children. “The average person does not understand how many families struggle to access dental care in this country,” she said. “We are thrilled to support the Celeste Myers Dental Clinic at Akron Children’s and see the ways Dr. Markarian and her team are helping so many children lead healthier lives.”
To contribute to the Celeste Myers Dental Clinic, contact Matthew Long, director of major gifts at Akron Children’s Foundation, at mlong2@akronchildrens.org.
