Expanded dental services may be offered to Hurley K-12 students

HURLEY — A total of 91 students in the Hurley School District have unmet dental needs, according to Dr. Erin Cutler, who has been working with the school the past three years.

She met with the Hurley School Board Monday to discuss how to get more children dental help.

Through the Northlakes Dental Clinic out of Ashland, hygienists come into the Hurley K-12 school and screen children three times a year through a federal grant. When it’s determined the children have cavities, or other problems with their teeth, notes are sent home to the parents, along with a list of available area dentists.

Follow-up calls are then conducted with the parents.

School board members said a major problem is that many dentists have retired, or are planning to retire soon, and that makes it difficult for working families to set up appointments.

While Cutler said Northlakes can provide some dental services to students, such as cleaning teeth, it won’t put crowns on permanent teeth, for example.

Many students qualify for dental services through the Badgercare program, she said. Billing for Northlakes services is done on a sliding schedule, based on income.

Now, Northlakes would like to expand to a full-service, self-contained portable dental lab, similar to military labs.

Zona Wick, of the Iron County Health Department, said her department previously offered varnishing of children’s teeth and Northlakes has since taken over.

Wick said varnishing “gives kids confidence” to see a dentist and not fear the procedures.

Cutler said Northlakes would like to use a small space in the school for a dental chair and X-ray machine.

School board member Maria Sokol said with the health department moving into the school soon, it might be best for health officials to coordinate the dental services.

Wick said she has worked well with Northlakes in the past.

Board members took no action on setting up space for the dental workers, saying the district would stay in touch with Northlakes.