KKV’s Mobile Dental Team Serving Kalihi Schools

KKV’s school-based dental sealant program has been serving Kalihi’s keiki since 1995, ensuring that every child sees a dentist and receives early care. Since Hawaii does not have a fluoridated water supply, kids are more likely to have tooth decay and childhood caries. So it is essential for kids to receive checkups and learn how to properly brush at an early age.

KKV’s Dental program has always been innovative and looking for new ways to support the needs of the community. The sealant program was once run in school cafeterias, classrooms, and even storage rooms. Then in 2014, it went mobile when Dr. Jason Hiramoto, the dentist who many refer to as the heart of the program, transformed a decomissioned handi-van into the Dental Bus. Now a mobile clinic equipped with full-restorative service capacity, the sealant program reaches more schools and provides a wider range of dental services. Staff report that KKV’s program has an 80% consent return rate. The average consent return rate for school-based sealant programs nationwide is 50-60%.

The Dental Bus parked outside of Fern Elementary.
At the beginning of every school year, the dental team provides schools with sign-up forms that teachers hand out. Students who opt-in receive oral exams, cleaning, fluoride treatment, referrals, and a tooth brushing kit filled with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and easy-to-follow instructions. This past year, the program was limited due to COVID restrictions at schools but still treated over 900 students. KKV expects to serve many more in 2022.

Dr. Jason Hiramoto leads KKV’s Dental team. He received his dental training at the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Dentistry, graduating in 1993. He joined KKV in 1995 as a full-time dentist and was named as Dental Director in July 2004. He has been voted into Honolulu Magazine’s “Best Dentists” edition multiple times. Dr. Hiramoto is an active member of the Network for Oral Health Access, American Dental Association, Hawaii Dental Association and the Honolulu County Dental Society, and is a Clinical Faculty Member with the NYU Langone Health – Advanced Education in General Dentistry, University of Hawaii Dental Hygiene Program, and Kapi‘olani Community College Dental Assisting Program, and an advisor in the PACT Head Start Health Advisory Committee.

First piloted at Fern Elementary school, today the program serves nine Kalihi schools, including Fern Elementary, Linapuni Elementary, Pu’uhale Elementary, Kalihi Elementary, Kalihi Uka Elementary, Kalihi Waena Elementary, and Ka’ewai Elementary. This year, the team added Dole and Kalakaua middle schools. Staff credit the ongoing success of the sealant program to the whole dental team and the meaningful relationships they have developed with the schools and students.

The mobile dental team members include Dr. Jason Hiramoto, Dr. Matt Oishi, Outreach Coordinator Rena Winshester, and Hygienist Gordean Kaluahine.

“For me, the work is meaningful because the school program is a public health intervention that allows the dental department to bring preventive care to the community that has high rates of dental caries. The schools want us there based on KKV's long relationship with them and it is nice to be welcomed back each year.” - Dr. Matt Oishi

To see the sealant program in action click here: https://www.hinowdaily.com/2018/09/19/dentist-on-the-go-makes-getting-check-ups-easy-for-kalihi-keiki/