A l e x i e V i l l
e g a s Z o t o m a y o r
A dental clinic
is finally sinking its teeth into its new
role.
Seventh Day Adventists
Clinic is breaking out of its shell and taking a proactive stance
in providing a more holistic health care in the community.
According to SDA Clinic’s director Dr. Kenneth Pierson, “The
SDA Clinic likes to emphasize whole patient care. We are not only
concerned with the patients’ oral, head and neck health, but
we also care about the whole health of the patient. It is our goal
to treat patients as Christ would.”
Dr. Pierson said, “Our mission is to make man whole in body,
mind and spirit. We promote living a healthy and balanced lifestyle
which includes these eight important steps to WELLNESS: Water, Exercise,
Life Giving Air, Limits, Nutrional Food, Essential Rest, Sunshine,
and Spiritual Guidance.”
SDA Clinic, Dr. Pierson said, offers comprehensive dental care for
the whole family. This care includes cosmetic dentistry, implants,
bleaching, veneers, dental prophies and deep cleanings, fillings,
partial and complete dentures, bridges, crowns, biopsies, retainers,
oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, and much more.
In 2006, the SDA Clinic, according to Dr. Pierson, received an overwhelming
response for dental cleanings. He said, “To alleviate the long
wait time, we hired a fourth dental hygienist, Beverly Cabanatan,
RDH. Beverly joined the SDA team in September 2006 from California
where she was practicing. Having a fourth hygienist has helped the
SDA Clinic see patients sooner for their dental cleanings and check
ups.
Since he took the helm of the clinic in 2005, Dr. Pierson has been
continuing the work began by his predecessors and deemed that a continuing
outreach to the community is very necessary. Dr. Pierson said, “We
are active in the school system and our hygienists regularly visit
classrooms twice a month,” adding that “aside from visiting
the school children, we have added visiting the Manamko’ as well.”
With the oral cancer rate in the Northern Mariana Islands four times
greater than that in the United States, SDA Clinic is actively doing
its part in order to stave off any further increase.
“SDA is greatly aware of the rate increase of oral cancer found
in the CNMI. It is important to us that we screen each patient for
oral cancer. These screenings are imperative due to the fact that
25 percent of all oral cancer patients have no history of predisposing
factors that may cause oral cancer, like tobacco use,” said Dr.
Pierson. He also said, “Betel nut is also known as a causative
factor for oral cancer. Each patient we treat who chews betel nut
is strongly recommended to stop chewing for their overall health.”
According to Dr. Pierson, “since oral cancer rate is high here
on Saipan, SDA has introduced a new technology for screening patients
who may be at increased risk for oral cancer.”
“ViziLite is a painless procedure that helps the doctor determine
whether or not a suspicious spot in the mouth should be biopsied.
This test does not diagnose oral cancer, but it can help locate dysplastic
or unhealthy oral tissue which is a huge advantage to the doctor and
the patient,” said Dr. Pierson.
Backed by a team of professionals, SDA Clinic has three U.S. trained
and board certified dentists — Dr. Crystal A. Edmister, Dr. Ken
D. Pierson, and Dr. Dean Reedstrom — and four hygienists: Maria
Agulto, Beverly Cabanatan. Olive Newman, and Lori Serna
Dr. Pierson, who joined the Saipan SDA Clinic team in September 2005
along with his wife Dr. Edmister, said that SDA is proud of Dr. Reedstrom
who has been practicing with the SDA Clinic for eight years.
“To help round out our comprehensive care, we also have four
board certified specialists to provide your family with the utmost
care. These specialists include periodontist Dr. Robert Gatewood,
orthodontist Dr. Earl Sauget, pedodontist Dr. Hank Ko and anesthesiologist
Dr. Kerry Latch.
With February as Children’s Dental Health Month, Dr. Pierson
said that “it provides a time when we can focus on improving
children’s oral health and giving kids a smile. We plan to attend
various schools to promote proper oral hygiene as well as writing
some informative articles that will appear in the local newspapers.”
Dr. Pierson also said that this year SDA Clinic is planning to hold
“Clinic With a Heart” which is focused on providing basic
care for free to those that do not have access or means to care. “Each
patient will be assessed on a first come, first-served basis and will
get their dental problems treated at no charge.
Dr. Pierson said that SDA will be having its “Clinic With A Heart”
on May 6th, and the public “should mark your calendar!”
SDA Clinic sees the need for more involvement from healthcare providers
in the community in order to address a host of health issues. It has
stepped up to the plate and vowed to sink its teeth more into its
proactive role in providing comprehensive care to the islanders.
