Liza Bartra is Progressive Dental’s Hygiene Supervisor who works daily to make sure patient care is a top priority in each of Progressive Dental’s 5 locations. She also spends time working to share knowledge and information through health fairs that are set up in the community. She shares some insightful information on how she and the staff at Progressive Dental work to bring important, helpful items and always personal care to every event.
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The best advice I can give to those attending health fairs is to be sure the company or organization you are attending is prepared for what you have to offer and make sure you make appropriate special requests. For instance, we need to be in an area that the lights can be dimmed, if a partition is available that is great otherwise a small room that is close to the exhibit hall, we need 2 tables one for where the oral cancer screening are completed and one in the exhibit hall to give attendees information as well as direction to the screenings, 3 chairs, an outlet, and garbage can.
At this time Progressive Dental participates in annual health fairs at Security Mutual, Law offices of HHK, NYSEG, Raymond, YMCA of Norwich, Unison of Norwich, and soon we will be attending a health fair at ICS in Endicott. We are always willing to do more events. They are a great way to provide screenings for oral cancer with the Velscope to individuals who would normally would not have access to these screenings or if they do many times there is a charge.
In the event of a positive screening, we bring the patient in for a free consultation with one of our dentists and they are evaluated and recommendation/referrals are given.
Progressive Dental also is very active in Children’s Dental Health month in February. We provide presentations at local schools and community centers to educate children on the importance of dental health. Lisa may have more to add, not sure if you want to add events such as relay for life, oral cancer walk, bridge run, etc. We continue to participate in the relay for life, oral cancer walk and bridge run.
To prepare for a health fair we communicate directly with the event planner. 2 staff attend at least one of them a hygienist to perform the screenings. We prepare 300+ bags containing toothbrush, floss, and toothpaste for the employee attendees. We have a giveaway of an electric toothbrush, crest white strips, xylitol mints, and gum. The velscope needs to be adequately charged and supplies such as gloves, masks, bibs, disinfecting wipes, etc. gathered.
