Many families stretch back four and five generations in Tangent, working the land, raising children and taking care of each other during the best — and worst — of times. And times have been challenging recently with the international agricultural crisis, Oregon’s recession leading to local layoffs, and neighborhood businesses closing.

It’s been an especially difficult time for Tangent resident Sarah Rogers and her four children. Sarah’s husband was laid off from his job last year, so money for the basics like food and rent is a challenge, and the family has no health insurance to pay for medical or dental visits.

Sarah’s son, Austyn, 5, loves playing with race cars and monster trucks, and according to his mother is usually a very happy child who likes to run around the house pretending he is a race car making loud “varooom” noises.

“I knew something was wrong with Austyn when he had no interest in the cars and started to lose his appetite,” said Sarah. “He complained that his teeth were hurting and then one night I heard him crying in his bed. That’s not a noise a mother wants to hear in the middle of the night. I was scared and didn’t know what to do since we didn’t have any insurance.”

“I didn’t want to chew anything ’cause it hurt,” added Austyn.

Getting things rolling

Sarah called her mother, Kathi Hogan, who works as a pharmacy technician for Samaritan Albany General Hospital. Kathi grew up in Tangent where her mother, Eileen Samard, was the longtime mayor.

“Austyn was clearly having trouble with his teeth,” said Kathi. “And when I heard he was crying at night and not brushing his teeth because it hurt too much, I just had to do something.”

Kathi contacted her childhood friend for help. Stephanie Hagerty, development specialist for the Albany General Hospital Foundation, is also the staff support for Albany InReach Services/Dental. Kathi and Stephanie grew up together in Tangent and attended the same elementary school.

“Unfortunately, Austyn’s story is all too common in this economy,”  Stephanie said,

Albany InReach Medical and Dental Services, whose major benefactor is Samaritan Albany General Hospital, has been a generous supporter of the Tooth Taxi mobile dental clinic, and worked to attract the van to Albany twice during 2009. Stephanie assisted Dental Foundation of Oregon board member Mike Goger, DMD, to recruit an impressive number of local volunteer dentists to staff the van in January and September.

Perfect timing

The timing was perfect because the Tooth Taxi was in town. Stephanie arranged for a visit for Austyn.

“He needed a lot of dental care, and it was his first visit to the dentist,” said Dr. Goger, who was volunteering that day. “We talked to him about the cool Tooth Taxi and how gentle everybody was. Even though he was frightened, he ended up walking onto the van all by himself and scrambled into the dental chair.”

“Visiting the Tooth Taxi was a great experience for us,” said Sarah. “Austyn’s doing really well now, eating more and running around the house like a race car again.”

Austyn was referred to a dentist in the Albany area for follow-up care to make sure that he stays healthy.

“We’ve got an extraordinary group of volunteer dentists in this area,” said Stephanie. “People like Dr. Goger and many others are working to help children without insurance get the care they need. In fact, the community is working to build its own dental clinic at the Boys & Girls Club of Albany sso children like Austyn will have a place to go for dental care.”

“We are very grateful to Stephanie and Samaritan Albany General Hospital for hooking us up with dental services,” Kathi. Hogan said.  “Even my mother called to say how thankful she was that we got care for her great-grandson. There are four generations of Tangent residents who will always remember this kindness.”

Austyn was asked how his teeth were feeling now. “A lot better now,” he said. “I could eat a whole steak.”

He is back to happily running around the house imitating race cars. “Varoooooom.