You Know
Our Priority is Taking Care of Kids’ Smiles.
YOU KNOW THE TOOTH TRUCK,
RIGHT?
We’re officially called the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® but our friends call us the Tooth Truck! Speaking of friends, we have a lot of them in the community, counting generous supporters like you who keep us on the road, along with 26,850 children we’ve reached since 2002. 26,850 kids! That’s quite a Tooth Truck fan club full of bright, sparkly smiles! And we’re still on the road, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While operating the Tooth Truck requires a lot more coordination and flexibility these days, we’re thrilled to continue connecting with kids and meeting their dental needs!
Since the program began, more than
18 million in services has been provided
$
for at risk children at no charge to their families.
RMHCozarks.org/Tooth-Truck
Brayden struggled with new surroundings, he needed someone to take him in their arms and say, “it’s okay - we’ll get through this together.”
This year, the Tooth Truck continues to positively impact children right here in Southwest Missouri. The largest group of children we serve is through Springfield Public Schools, the largest school district in Missouri, where last year we provided $850,000 in dental treatment for 809 SPS students. The Tooth Truck is committed to serving EVERY STUDENT that qualifies for free and reduced lunch, regardless of Medicaid coverage.
Orlando and Karen are 5-year-old twins with vivacious smiles from Monett. Although they didn’t speak much English, their big smiles needed no translation. We completed over $200,000 worth of treatment plans in our first year treating children in Monett.
This school year presents uncharted challenges to connecting with kids, particularly with students attending seated classes only two days a week. The Tooth Truck team works closely with each school nurse to ensure children in need of dental care have access while at school. The Tooth Truck’s goal is to complete the treatment plan of every child we see for a cavity-free smile. We complete 99% of all treatment plans. And when we follow-up with these children, we find that 90% of them have the same or better oral health three years after their treatment plan is completed.
The Tooth Truck partners with many wonderful, dedicated
School Nurses.
For more than 5 years, Kristin Rohrer has been the School Nurse at Weller Elementary, with 350 students, of which 88% qualify for free and reduced lunch. Kristin was kind enough to share about her students’ experiences with the Tooth Truck.
Last school year, the Tooth Truck saw
55 kids at
Weller Elementary and provided
$40,000
worth of treatment for those kids.
Her students love the Tooth Truck. They‘re excited to share how they got rid of the pain in their mouth, helped brush the stuffed animal’s teeth and received a prize bag! The Tooth Truck does a great job making sure the kids feel comfortable during their visit.
“The great thing about the Tooth Truck is that they’re here for the kids that aren’t able to get treatment, whether they’re uninsured, their Medicaid has lapsed or they don’t have transportation. For me to say thank you is not enough, these kids are very touched by what’s being done for them over their visits, over the years. And because something got fixed, they’re going to smile at the end of the day.” — Nurse Kristin
Our goal
This little guy, Brayan needed a lot of dental work. In fact, his school staff transported him to Springfield to start his treatment early because he was in so much pain. He loved having shiny silver teeth (caps) on his now healthy teeth so Dr. Sarah captured a photo of him checking out these new teeth in the mirror.
is to complete the treatment plan of every child we see for a cavity-free smile. Through a series of visits, we’re able to make a huge impact on the children we serve. We want every child to have a positive experience. This means a boost in their self-esteem and self-confidence as they achieve a cavity-free smile and realize that going to the dentist can be fun.
The Tooth Truck needs your support to serve local children in need. Your generosity helps: • Complete every child’s treatment plan • Serve all students that qualify for free and reduced lunch, regardless of Medicaid coverage. • Teach every child to brush and floss correctly, and provide supplies for home use. The following trademarks used herein are owned by McDonald’s Corporation and its affiliiates and are used under license: Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, Ronald McDonald House Charities, ©2020 Ronald McDonald House Charities. The Tooth Truck name and logo are owned by The Tooth Truck, Inc.
Due to COVID-19, the Tooth Truck staff created special nametags so the children can see the people behind all the PPE. Mr. Giraffe protects patients and staff from the equipment sanitization area and air purifiers are used throughout the Truck. We only treat one patient at a time unless patients are from the same family or classroom. The entire Truck is sanitized between each patient visit.
Help Us Take Care of Kids’ Smiles! Help the Tooth Truck and Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks in providing access to dental treatment for EVERY STUDENT that qualifies for free and reduced lunch, regardless of Medicaid coverage. Your investment will provide more than FOUR TIMES its value in dental treatment. I wish to underwrite one or more treatment plan(s) as follows: ______ Average treatment plan for 1 child @ $250 ______ Average treatment plan for 2 children @ $500 ______ Average treatment plan for 4 children @ $1,000
I would like to donate a different amount. I have enclosed $______________________ .
PAYMENT METHOD: Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ (Please make check payable to RMHC.) Credit Card MasterCard
Visa
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American Express
Card Number: Expiration Date:
Security Code:
Name: Address: City:
State:
Zip:
Telephone:
Please contact me about becoming a monthly donor. You may also make your donation by calling 417.875.3505 or online at toothtruck.org