Did you know that Graham and Greenlee Counties have the worst oral health statistics in the state for children who have seen a dentist in the last year? Seeing a dentist for regular check-ups is the single most important thing a parent can do for their child to prevent tooth decay. Cavities often get overlooked as not being a serious health concern because they don’t lead to visible impairment in a child’s day to day life. However, have you ever stopped to think what your child would do if they had a throbbing toothache? The constant pain would not only lead to a decrease in concentration at school and social insecurities to smile but constant tooth pain is a contributing factor to long-term drug addiction. Children in pain WILL turn to drugs to alleviate that pain if given no other alternative. Mark Smith with the Graham County Substance Control Coalition has a front row seat to the struggles our youth are facing. In speaking to him about our youth and drug addiction, he commented, “you would be shocked at how many of these kids got here because of a toothache”.
Tooth B.U.D.D.S. mission is to ensure no child turns to drugs because of a toothache. We recognize that it is not always possible to get to a dentist for regular checkups which is why we take the dental chair to the child. Each child receives a professional dental cleaning and visual exam by a registered dental hygienist which can include sealants, fluoride varnish and Silver Diamine Fluoride These services are completely free due to the generosity of our community and our wonderful sponsors; United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties, Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation and the Arizona Community Foundation. With these funds, Tooth B.U.D.D.S. has referred over 150 children with URGENT needs, meaning children already suffering from daily pain, to a dentist for restorative treatment.
Tooth BUDDS is a member of the Graham Greenlee Tax Credit Coalition. The GGTCC promotes a dollar-for-dollar Arizona Income Tax Credit up to $1200 for filing jointly, or $600 if filing individually. You can receive this tax credit to offset your AZ income tax liability by donating to a qualified local nonprofit and schools. To learn more about this opportunity, visit our website at www.ggtcc.org. The GGTCC is administered by the Arizona Community Foundation of the Gila Valley and can be reached at grahamgreenleetcc@gmail.com
