Carmen George (Penelakut First Nation) is known around her community as “the tooth fairy.”
You may have guessed that "tooth fairy" is not Carmen's official job title, but it is pretty close. She is a COHI Aide – a community member hired by her nation to support oral health as part of FNHA Health Benefits Children's Oral Health Initiative (COHI).
Carmen is one of 62 COHI Aides in 76 First Nations around BC funded and trained by FNHA Health Benefits. COHI Aides are an essential link between dental professionals and the community. Their role is to support and encourage families to make oral health a regular part of family life, and to make healthy choices in caring for their young children.
Carmen shares information and supplies with young visitors to her booth at a Family Wellness Day Celebration.
"Having COHI Aides in community really reflects our First Nations perspective on wellness. It acknowledges family and community connections, those existing relationships. It's about looking at where our strengths in community are, and how can we build on that for community wellbeing," says Eunice Joe (Tseshaht First Nation), FNHA Vancouver Island Regional Manager.
Building on community connections
Melonie Green (Gitxsan First Nation) has only worked as a COHI Aide for 8 months, but she brings a wealth of knowledge to her new role in the communities of Sik-e-Dakh, Kispiox, and Gitanmaax. Thanks to Melonie's previous work as a Health Centre receptionist and Kids Club leader, she has a great sense of what's going on in her community, and where her services might be a good fit. Her experience as a mom certainly helps as well!
A typical week brings Melonie to Aboriginal Head Start, Healthy Babies, daycares, preschools, nurseries, and community events. Melonie has already reached more than 1000 community members in her 8 months of work – everyone from babies to Elders. She takes along her oral health promotion kit to each visit, packed with information as well as tooth brushes, floss, and toothpaste to hand out.
"It's about getting out into the community. I don't want to be stuck in the office! I try to get my foot in the door with every community event there is, like Elder's Lunches, our pre-and-post natal program, and the youth drop-in," explains Melonie. "I set up with my supplies, share floss, tooth brushes and paste, and talk to people who come by about oral health."
Supporting healthy smiles
Students at Majagaleehl Galiaks School pose with tooth brushes during Melonie's visit
During classroom visits, Melonie and Carmen get kids interested in how to keep their smiles healthy through interactive activities and contests. A crowd favourite is a little disclosing tablet that temporarily stains the dental plaque in your mouth bright blue or pink. This lets kids know where they need to pay extra attention with tooth brushing and flossing. Prizes for a month-long tooth brushing challenge using our kid-friendly charts are also a hit!
Melonie and Hannah use a disclosing tablet to practice brushing
You might also catch Carmen, Melonie and other COHI Aides applying professional fluoride varnish to children's teeth at community schools and daycares. Along with good daily oral hygiene practices and healthy food choices, fluoride varnish helps prevent cavities by making tooth enamel hard and resistant to tooth decay. It takes just a few seconds to apply and is recommended up to four times per year.
Josiah gets his fluoride varnish from Melonie during a school visit
Building relationships with kids and their parents is a critical part of a COHI Aide's job. When Carmen visits the daycare to provide fluoride varnish, she works with the older kids first. They know her from her previous visits so they are comfortable. The younger kids see that, and are less nervous when it is their turn.
Students are eager for their turn when Carmen provides fluoride varnishes at Penelakut Community Daycare
"It's a big step for someone to open their mouth to the world. They need to really trust you," says Carmen. "Parents who bring their kids in to see me start to get comfortable with the idea, and after a few visits they might decide to come to see us for care, so really it's for the whole family."
Keeping care in the community
COHI Aides work closely with our FNHA Health Benefits dental therapists and partner Health Authority dental hygienists serving multiple communities, spending a few days a month in each one. COHI Aides are a vital part of community visits, helping to arrange appointments, set up the gear, and assisting with services.
"COHI Aides are the gel in the community. I don't see how we would do the COHI program without their help. I think any of our providers would say the same," says Sharon Stead, Assistant COHI Specialist with FNHA Health Benefits.
New COHI Aides gather together for a three-day training session, which are typically held once or twice a year to learn about the COHI program and receive hands-on experience. This fun and interactive gathering introduces members of the COHI team to innovative and creative ways of assisting their communities. The COHI program is always looking for keen and interested members! Inquiries can be made with your local health director.
By helping to prevent cavities and promote oral wellness, COHI Aides are reducing how often community members need to travel out for appointments. For folks in Penelakut, seeing a dentist in town takes a full day and two ferry trips. The time and costs can easily add up. Instead, Carmen and Dental Therapist Kim Trottier are able to see many people at the island's health centre.
"I have seen a big difference in the 4 years that I've been here," says Carmen. "The number of kids who need to be referred to a specialist keeps dropping. You can't change everything but even the littlest change makes a difference."
Eunice recalls that when her own kids were little, resources were provided for emergency oral health care, but less for preventative or wellness-focused services. "Seeing more COHI Aides at the community level, with training and support from FNHA Health Benefits for their work, is shifting that," she explains.
"Tooth fairies" Melonie and Carmen are very passionate about their work. Their excitement to support the health of their communities shines through their words – and the smiles of their clients.
Click here for more information about FNHA Health Benefits Children's Oral Health Initiative!
