Pediatric Oral Health Screenings Offered Every Week at IHCRC

Make plans to bring your young child and your school-age children to IHCRC's expanded dental department to get regular dental checkups. In addition to hiring two new dentists, IHCRC has hired a part-time dental hygienist with funding received from a new grant from the Indian Health Service (IHS). The IHS Health Promotion and Disease Prevention grant will be used to offer weekly pediatric oral health screening clinics. Read more...

Dentist - Dr. Bennett Parks

Indian Health Care has added another fulltime dentist to the Dental Department. Bennett J. Parks, DDS joined the IHCRC dental staff in July. He provides dental care together with our Dental Director, Arthur Holleman III, DDS. aving earned a place on the Dean's Honor Roll for five consecutive semesters, Dr. Parks graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2011. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Science with a Microbiology Minor from the Oklahoma State University in 2007.

While pursuing his dental degree at OU, Dr. Parks gained clinical experience in restorative dentistry, fixed prosthodontics including crown and bridge and ceramic anterior restorations, removable prosthodontics, periodontics, restoration of implants, rotary endodontics and oral surgery.

Prior to joining IHCRC, Dr. Parks volunteered for four years at the University of Oklahoma's Good Shepherd Mission Extraction Clinic where he served as coordinator for clinical senior year. He completed an externship for the Indian Health Service in Talihina, Oklahoma.

Dr. Parks is licensed through the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry. He is a member of the American Dental Association and the Oklahoma Dental Association and is certified in Basic Life Support (BLS).

Meet Dr. Arthur Holleman, Dental Director

In December 2009 Arthur Lee Holleman III, DDS was hired as IHCRC's Dental Director (pictured on page 9 of the Health Spirit). He has previously worked for the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic as the Dental Director and as an associate dentist for the Green Country Dental Arts in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Dr. Holleman lives in Broken Arrow with his wife, who is also a dentist with My Dentist of Claremore.

Dr. Holleman (Muscogee Creek) comes highly recommended from our sister Indian clinic in Oklahoma City. "Dr. Holleman was exceptional with our patients and has a wonderful chairside manner. I would hire him back in a second," said Robyn Sunday, CEO, Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. Dr. Holleman comments, that he "looks forward to once again working with the Indian community. I have experience treating a wide variety of dental conditions and providing care to patients of all ages."

Dr. Holleman holds a dental license in good standing with the State of Oklahoma Board of Dentistry. He is a member of the American Dental Association (ADA), Oklahoma Dental Association (ODA) and the Academy of General Dentistry. He completed student externships at the office of Dunn Cumby, DDS in Oklahoma City and at the Ketchikan Indian Community (KIC) Tribal Health Clinic in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Dr. Holleman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from the Oklahoma State University (OSU) where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Oklahoma (OU) where he earned placement on the Dean's Honor Roll.

Read more about our new staff in the Winter 2010 issue of the Healthy Spirit.

Dental Services

Dental care promotes preventive and corrective treatment to reduce tooth loss. Priority is given to serving the dental needs of children, pregnant women and persons with diabetes. In our delivery of primary oral health care, Indian Health Care Resource Center (IHCRC) is committed to providing personal dental care in the context of family, culture and community. Our oral health care program promotes oral health; prevents oral disease, treats injuries and provides care for acute and chronic oral diseases and disabilities. Patient and community education promotes self- maintenance, disease prevention and pediatric dental screenings to assess need. The prevention of tooth and gum problems is emphasized by promoting regular check-ups at the clinic before problems develop.

The prevention and dental screening components of our comprehensive primary oral health care program include an oral health assessment, application of dental sealants, professional applied topical fluorides and supplement prescriptions when necessary. The cleaning of the teeth, scaling and other oral prophylaxis procedures remove deposits from the tooth surfaces. During a check-up, dental team members clean and examine the patient's teeth and discuss what corrective procedure may be needed and why. The comprehensive oral health program at IHCRC promotes good oral health, supports good nutrition and helps give confidence and a positive outlook to the patient.

Optometry Services

Optometry services include vision evaluations, eyeglass prescriptions, medical treatment of eye infections and diseases, visual field testing for glaucoma, dilation evaluation and retinal photographic recording of eye disease. Comprehensive visual exams are conducted using computerized diagnostic equipment to assess a patient's eye health and vision. In addition to prevention and health education services, treatment is provided for vision conditions arising from diabetes.

For more information call: 918-382-1263

IHCRC's Mammography Department Shines

Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa is thrilled to announce a dramatic increase in the number of Native American women who received a screening mammogram in 2008 from our Diagnostic Imaging Department. This achievement was accomplished by Karen McAhren, ARRT, who was hired as IHCRC's new mammographer in January 2008.

Under Karen's leadership, IHCRC's annual mammogram exam productivity numbers increased to three times the level achieved in previous years - a total of 1,213 mammograms were conducted by Karen in 2008. The dramatic increase in mammographic exams has helped ensure IHCRC patients are being adequately screened for breast cancer and referred for further diagnosis and treatment when needed. "A key to successful treatment for breast cancer is early detection," said Karen. Read more in the Healthy Spirit.