Northern Health calls for community proposals

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Community health staff in Hartley Bay are using toys, cash prizes and even peer pressure to give youth a head start on dental health.

Brighter Smiles in Hartley Bay, an innovative project funded by the University of British Columbia and Northern Health, gives all children from this semi-isolated First Nation community monthly access to pediatric resident doctors and a few more reasons to take care of their pearly whites.

"Kids who complete all the dental care exercises, including flossing and brushing after lunch and weekly fluoride rinses, will receive small toys or a chance at cash prizes at the end of each week," said Hartley Bay Health Director David Benton, who co-developed the project with the academics.

"We've had 100 per cent participation from parents and children in our community," Benton said. "So much so that the kids are reminding their teachers to supervise their flossing and brushing, and nudging each other to keep up with exercises."

Progress is tracked and measured by the community nursing station and the university's faculty of medicine, as part of its residency program. "In 2001, before the project, only four children had no new cavities," said Benton. "A year later, the number went up to 23-that's half the children in Hartley Bay!

"People here are thrilled with the project. This community has never seen this level of pediatric care, and parents are very happy with the focus on oral health."

The project, now in its second year of operation, received funding last year from Northern Health's Aboriginal Health Initiatives Program (AHIP) and will continue to operate until March 2005.

Now Northern Health is calling for new proposals for projects like Brighter Smiles, as AHIP enters its third year with another $1.1 million for the region.

The same amount has been made available each year for the past two years and it funded more than 100 community-based projects.

"They can cost as low as $15,000 and up to $44,000," said Katharina Patterson, Northern Health's director of Aboriginal health. "Projects are funded on a yearly basis, but can reapply for a maximum of three years."

Patterson, from Haida Gwaii, said proposals should address addictions, mental health and chronic diseases - or a combination thereof - in terms of community health enhancement, health promotion, or disease prevention.

A volunteer committee consisting of First Nations members, educators and health authority staff will evaluate and award grants to projects, which are then implemented by the communities themselves. Deadline for submission is 4 p.m. on Jan. 28, 2004.

Patterson said AHIP has prompted Aboriginal communities in the region to carry out activities that had a positive effect on their general health. "We're looking forward to many more proposals this year," she said.

And those big smiles in Hartley Bay won't be going away any time soon. "We've integrated the practice into community health activities that are run in conjunction with the nursing station and schools," said Benton.

"Besides, the amount of money it costs to purchase incentives-which have proven so effective for keeping dental health on children's minds-is the equivalent of travel expenses of sending just one child to Vancouver for dental surgery, and that doesn't include the cost of surgery."

The Knowledge Network has created a short documentary on the Brighter Smiles project, to air on Feb. 3, along with interactive tools to help other communities develop similar projects. "Through their Web site, we're making available our charts, spreadsheets, consent forms and other materials we used for the project," Benton added. "We welcome other communities to come share our knowledge."

For more information on AHIP or to submit your proposal, call Northern Health's Aboriginal Health Office at 250-565-2949, or toll free at 1-866-565-2999.