Deamonte Driver Dental Project provides social justice for the underserved: A community-based model

In 2007, the death of 12-year-old Deamonte Driver from dental caries, while his mother tried desperately to find a dentist to treat him, fueled outrage among area dentists, media advocates, and policymakers. This outrage led to a state appropriation of almost $300,000 and creation of the Deamonte Driver Dental Project (DDDP), a non-profit, grassroots initiative to ensure that no other child would die from untreated tooth decay. The DDDP van, purchased and equipped with state funds, is manned by volunteers from the Dentists In Action (DIA) network. DDDP works with administrators, principals, nurses, teachers and parents at targeted schools where the van arrives to provide dental screenings, triage and referrals to dental homes. Data is collected by the screening dentists using County-approved dental exam forms, and returned to the children's parents as dental “report cards” for follow-up with neighborhood dentists who have been identified and enrolled as Medicaid providers. Each child's status is classified as: (A) “Needs Attention Immediately,” e.g., needing an extraction; (B) “Needs Attention Soon,” e.g., needing restoration; or (C) “Needs Routine Care,” e.g., cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants. Since its implementation in November 2008, the DDDP has evaluated 1,446 children, almost 18 percent of whom were classified as needing immediate care and referred to DIA dentists who promised to treat them regardless of ability to pay. The DDDP, now in year two of implementation, is proving to be a sustainable model for eliminating health disparities, promoting oral health, and ensuring social justice for the underserved.