Community Corner

Madison Dentist Gives Kids a Smile, and Much More, on Special Day

Underserved kids receive free dental care.

Three years ago dentist traveled to Guatemala as part of a volunteer effort to bring modern healthcare to children in that Central American country.

The native of Madison saw for himself the desperate living conditions of the poor, where many kids spent their days combing through garbage dumps for bottles to trade in for the day's meal money.

"Some of them had never had proper dental care in their lives," he recalled, but observed something just as urgent when he returned to the United States. "You don't need to take a 10-hour plane ride to help people."

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That experience helped lead Romano on Feb. 3 to participate for the second year in a row in Give Kids a Smile, a day of free dental care for children 12 and under as part of National Children’s Dental Health Month, the American Dental Association’s annual campaign to bring attention to tooth decay, the number one childhood disease.

"If you get on the right track with oral hygiene as a kid, it saves you a lifetime of hardship," said Romano, in between treating a parade of children at his Rose City office at 120 Park Avenue.

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The free services included cleanings, X-rays, and sealants, if needed. Patients needing more extensive treatment were referred to a local orthodontist or the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, also free of charge.

The event not only drew families from Madison, but from other communities in the region including Lincoln Park and Denville.

But there was much more than spit-and-rinse going on as the office saw 35 kids — up from 28 in 2011. Magician Simon Mandel entertained nervous kids in the waiting room, where SpongeBob SquarePants played on a big-screen TV and balloons donated by lent a festive atmosphere. Volunteer staff helped move the appointments along, fueled by food donated by . The kids didn't leave empty-handed, toting goody bags of toothpaste, toothbrushes, coloring books and more from dental supply company Henry Schein and insurer Delta Dental.

"Even here in Madison, where life is pretty good, you still see kids who are underserved," Romano said. "It's a function of the economy, no matter what you read. We see plenty of patients who are making due with less, and they have to make tough decisions about their children's healthcare."

While Medicare provides a safety net for medical treatment for those who can't afford it, most dental care is only covered through private insurers.

"You can see this has become a great tradition," said Madison Mayor Robert Conley, who dropped in to lend his support. "Just looking around the waiting room, you can see how much it means to the people here."


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