Educating Pediatric Cancer Patients on Oral Health
October 1, 2022
Volume 0, Issue 0, October 2022
Page(s): p. 8
Inside Dental Hygiene Editorial Advisory Board member Jill Meyer-Lippert, RDH, has teamed up with colleague Carrie Wucinich, RDH, on a charitable effort to help children battling cancer. We spoke with them about what they are doing and how others can get involved.
Jill Meyer-Lippert, RDH: There is quite a bit of need in the oncology realm for addressing oral health needs. Having good oral hygiene can help to reduce oral mucosal infections, respiratory infections, and bloodstream infections.
IDH: How have you worked to address that need?
Carrie Wucinich, RDH: I wrote the book Where the Sugar Bugs Live, and I have had the opportunity to go into children's hospitals in my city to educate the patients and their families about the importance of dental health while going through cancer treatments. Jill and I teamed up to create the Sugar Bug Fun Bundle to be delivered to the kids in the hospitals and provide them with the tools they need. The bundle includes a fun workbook that I created with crayons so they can color while they are in the hospital, as well as an educational brochure, a toothbrush, tooth gel, and more.
IDH: What has the response been?
Wucinich: It has been awesome. The kids that I have been able to spend time with have loved it. The parents were so grateful that we were providing them with products that could help. Overall, it has been a major success. Our goal is to work with dental hygienists all over the country to get these bundles into each children's hospital to help educate the cancer patients and keep them as healthy as we can.
IDH: How can dental hygienists and other dental professionals get involved?
Meyer-Lippert: Anyone can sponsor bundles. It is a great opportunity for an individual or a group of people—or for dental practices and other businesses or organizations. It is a great way to give back to the community. Anyone interested can go to sideeffectsupport.com or reach out to us directly for guidance on the legal and compliance protocol for hospitals.
To purchase or sponsor Sugar Bug Fun Bundles, go to sideeffectsupport.com/collections/oral-care-kits.
