By Sonia Owchariw
Most children fear the dentist. Whether it’s the sound of the drill or the feel of the pic when the hygienist cleans their teeth, the experience of seeing a dentist can cause great anxiety and frighten children to tears. Three dentists from Bayonne Family Dental address this issue by bringing the dentist office to the classroom.
Drs. Peter Fuentes, Salvatore
Pavone, and Marissa Halum have teamed up to form On Site Dental: a Mobile Dental Team, where they visit local schools to give school children dental exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and preventative sealants to ensure better dental health.
All three dentists also work at Bayonne Family Dental.
The team performs on-site dental exams because many schoolchildren seem to be missing school because of toothaches and many have never been to a dentist.
“One of our big movements is preventative dental care before problems arise,†Dr. Fuentes says,
Dental hygiene and regular check-ups are important to overall dental health and to prevent gum disease and tooth decay, Dr. Fuentes, who has been practicing dentistry in Bayonne since 2009, says.
“We become their nutritional and health care provider,†Dr. Fuentes says. “Teachers love it and kids spend less time missing school.’
The On Site Dental Team’s main goal is to raise awareness of the importance of oral health and preventative dental care starting when children are very young.
 “People are shocked to find out that American Dental Association says a child’s first check-up should be at one year of age,†Dr. Fuentes says.
If you go
On Site Dental: a Mobile Dental Team
Bayonne Family Dental
1216 John F. Kennedy Blvd, BAYONNE
(201) 858-3800
