Cong. Smith speaks at the grand opening of the Miles of Smiles program in Lakewood, NJ. Seated from left are Ocean Co. Freeholder Gerry Little and Assemblyman Sean Kean.
Lakewood Mayor Menache Miller presents Cong. Smith with the 2011 Distinguished Community Health Advocate for helping strengthen and expand access to health centers in the 111th Congress.
Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) joined state, county and local officials at the official opening of the Miles of Smiles dental program offered to all Lakewood elementary school children.
The program is a joint collaboration among the Center for Health, Education, Medicine, and Dentistry (CHEMED), the Ocean County Health Department (OCHD), and the Lakewood Board of Education, at CHEMED’s Madison Avenue facility in Lakewood. Each month, the Lakewood Board of Education provides busing to bring an entire class to CHEMED, and the OCHD presents an educational piece to the children about how to take care of their teeth. Then children who have parental consent visit the hygienist for a dental cleaning and are seen by a dentist. If there is anything found to be amiss, such as a cavity, the school officials send home a letter explaining what was found and giving the family an option to use CHEMED or seek dental care elsewhere.
Smith helped CHEMED receive the designation of federally qualified healthcare center. It opened in 2008 to provide comprehensive health and medical services, such as internal medicine, pediatrics, dentistry, behavioral health, all in one location. CHEMED serves all patients. Private patients are welcome along with uninsured and underinsured patients. Uninsured patients will be seen on a sliding-fee scale, based on an ability to pay.
“This is a great day in what will be a series of great days,” Smith said. “You are doing here in Lakewood at CHEMED what should be done in all 21 counties. It’s amazing. This is a growth model and the growth is all about enfranchising more and more people."
Congressman Smith, Dr. Arturo Brito, New Jersey Deputy Commissioner of Health, State Senator Robert W. Singer, Ocean County Freeholder Gerry Little, Lakewood Mayor Menasche Miller and other officials cut a ribbon to mark the opening of the Miles of Smiles program. The program provides free dental cleaning, screening, and an educational program for Lakewood elementary school children. Dr. Dovid Friedman, director of the CHEMED, and Dr. Joseph Tricarico, Jr., Dental Director of CHEMED hosted the event. Tricarico said that through the efforts of the Lakewood Board of Education, the OCHD, and CHEMED, every child in Lakewood will have an opportunity to receive dental services.
