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Highlands Today

Supplying The Smiles

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

Dr. Nohelia Marini with the Highlands County Health Department works on the teeth of Mya Hawthorne, 8, on Thursday in Lake Placid. The dental clinic opened Tuesday.

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By Bill Rettew Jr. | Highlands Today

Published: February 9, 2008

LAKE PLACID — Although the Tooth Fairy hasn't yet visited 6-year-old Ramon Castellano of Lake Placid, he was one of the first patients at the new Children's Dental Care of Highlands.

The new 1,200-square-foot dental clinic where Ramon received care is located at the Lake Placid Health Department building, at 106 Main Ave.

Any of the county's 15,000 children who are uninsured and Medicaid-eligible pay based on a sliding scale, which starts at no charge, said Dr. Paula Thaqi, director of the Highlands County Health Department.

"No one is ever turned away for an inability to pay," she said. "Our aim is to provide excellent customer services and quality – the same as you would receive at a private practice."

Dental Director Gerald M. Pyser said a major goal is to teach parents, as well as patients.

"We like to see them as early as possible since we see fear-based behavior often coming from moms and dads," said Pyser. "One of the things we pride ourselves in is that every child here has a great experience and has fun, yet the education of parents is the goal."

One full-time dentist, with a full staff (including several bilingual speakers) will provide dental care for
about 40 patients aged 20 and under, every day.

Four treatment rooms, a waiting room and and equipment room were furnished and decorated to help put children and their parents at ease.

Dental Assistant Stephanie Meyer worked for private dental practices before taking on this new job.

"It's so cozy around here," said Meyers, who said she already showed off the new office to her mother. "It's more open; there are more opportunities and more time with patients," said Meyer.

The retrofit of the former county medical offices lasted only three months.

Many of the health department's 115 employees , including Thaqi, scrubbed floors and cleaned cabinets to help cut the cost to taxpayers.

A $100,000 Florida Department of Health grant paid for the equipment, while the health department paid $40,000 for the retrofitting.

Thaqi also announced that bids have gone out for construction of a 5,000-square-foot health department building in Avon Park

A similar dental office, a medical center, WIC offices and an environmental health section should be open to the public during the fall of 2008.

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