Trooper Island campers now leave with memories for a lifetime, and a free dental exam

Posted July 18, 2018 at 1:47 pm


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by Brooke Wright

NEWS Intern

Trooper Island campers will have brighter smiles this year because the camp is providing free dental care to the children attending, making Trooper Island the first summer camp to provide children with this free service.

Dental Service Director Stacy Barrick said Delta Dental of Kentucky provided the camp with a grant to build a dental care facility on the island.

On its website, Delta Dental of Kentucky says its purpose is “the advancement of oral health care for Kentuckians through [their] dental benefits programs and philanthropic efforts.”

Barrick said they were contacted by Camp Commander Jonathan Biven to provide the children with excellent dental care. The dental care providers are from the Barren River District Health Department with Dr. Jason Coomer as the practicing dentist along with dental hygienists, Sarah Coomer and Kelly Griffin.

“We are a portable prevention program,” Barrick said. “We provide exams with local dentists, cleanings, fluoride varnishes, and sealings as needed.”

Although they offer a wide range of care, the program does not normally fill cavities, Barrick said, but the dental care providers will pull some baby teeth if needed. She said if the children are in need of any kind of dental work that they cannot provide, the program refers them to a dentist or finds them a dental home if they do not have one.

Barrick said the program works mainly in school during the school year, but during the summer, the program goes to long term care facilities.

“This is our first year at Trooper Island,” she said.

The kids who receive the dental care either have never been to a dentist or it has been a year since they have been to one.

“We see between 20 and 40 kids, but it differs each week,” Barrick said. “We send consent forms home, and if they qualify for the dental care, those are the kids we see.”

Barrick said the program is very important to her.

“Some of these kids don’t have the opportunity to get dental care anywhere else,” she said. “So, we feel privileged to offer dental prevention services.”

She said some kids are scared to go to the dentist for the first time, so they try to make the experience better for the kids so they know what to expect for future dental appointments and make great dental patients.

However, Barrick said the program provides more than just dental care, including oral cancer screenings and checks for physical abuse. Barrick said the main goal of the program is to make sure the children know they are not alone.

“Sometimes kids need attention,” she said. “It’s about more than just teeth cleanings.”

Jonathan Biven said the program teaches children about good oral health care as well.

“It’s just one more thing to provide services for the youth,” he said. “Proper oral care gives the kids confidence and helps parents with financial burden.”

Biven said the program takes Trooper Island founder Colonel Bassett’s vision a step further, allowing kids to forget about their troubles and also providing basic health care needs.

“I just think it’s a great service,” Biven said.

Currently, the camp is preparing for Trooper Island Appreciation Day, which is on Saturday, July 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Biven said the island will provide lunch, have a ribbon cutting for the new dental office and have a memorial service for fallen troops. The event is open to the public, and the barge will run every 30 minutes from the dock to the island for anyone wishing to attend.

Trooper Island is a free summer camp for underprivileged boys and girls age 10-12 operated by the Kentucky State Police on Dale Hollow Lake in Clinton County. It is financed entirely by donations, no public funds are used.

Each year, the camp hosts approximately 700 children, providing good food, fresh air, recreation, guidance and structured, esteem-building activities designed to build good citizenship and positive relationships with law enforcement officers.