By Maddie Amsterdam, Staff Reporter

Head up to the second floor of T/E Middle School, take a right into room 232 and open wide. Hidden among a sea of ordinary classrooms, a dental clinic can be found, complete with all  the fixings of a regular dental office.

This hideaway hygienist office may be about the size of a large closet, but it has been getting the job done for more than 60 years. In 1946, Hobson C. Wagner, then superintendent of schools in what was the Paoli Area School District, realized that many students were not able to receive the dental care they needed.

With other concerned administrators, he established the Children’s Dental Clinic, which now provides dental care for students who demonstrate a financial need from the T/E and Great Valley School Districts.

Students who receive free or reduced-fee lunches are eligible for the program. They are given transportation to T/E, professional dental care and a goody bag—all for a simple co-payment of $5, said Bernie Logan, the clinic’s general dentist.

“The clinic is a wonderful opportunity to provide the best in dental health and education to students,” said Logan, who has worked at the clinic for 15 years.

Logan is very enthusiastic about her patients—all 120 of them. Students appear to demonstrate mutual enthusiasm toward the program.

Freshman Ibrahim Souadda has been to the clinic four times.

“They make the experience enjoyable,” said Souadda. “It is a great program and it has a lot to offer to local kids. They are really nice to you and they do a good job.”

Volunteers are essential to the clinic, said Linda Wilhelm, the clinic’s chairperson. Most volunteers drive students to and from the clinic during the school day.

Geraldine Jaffé is a volunteer driver who said that her favorite part of volunteering is spending time with the kids. She said that she is impressed by the program.

“Whether it was filling a cavity, or even getting orthodontic care done, the service they provide is outstanding,” Jaffé said.

The clinic is a nonprofit organization supported by local fundraising events, donations and service organizations.

“The care we provide is truly a community effort, by dental professionals and volunteers,” Logan said.

Maddie Amersterdam  can be reached at mamsterdam@stoganews.com.

Printed originally on p. 6 of The Spoke’s Jan. 12, 2010 issue.

Related posts:

1. — BREAKING NEWS — Two Gov Schools will open this summer The health care and global entrepreneurship programs will not be...
2. Students volunteer in Uganda This past summer, while many were busy relaxing at the...
3. Students make final push to ‘Save the Govies’ Junior Jeff Sherman held the dreaded envelope up to his...
4. Koomson inspires students to give back As a child growing up in Africa, all he wanted...
5. Braking the habit: students text behind the wheel According to a recent Spoke survey, 91 percent of licensed...