Smiles brighten along Mystic Ave.
By George P. Hassett

  Forty children from the Mystic Ave. Housing Development filled the Winchester waiting room of dentist Janis Moriarty with smiles and laughter early Friday morning.
  They came in vans driven by local youth workers after Moriarty, a dentist, told Housing Authority Police Chief Karen Jenner she would provide free dental care to economically disadvantaged youth as part of the American Dental Association‚Äôs Give Kids a Smile Day. Over 42,000 dentists and dental team members at more than 2,500 sites across the country volunteered to help underserved children Friday.

   Jenner said she jumped at Moriarty‚Äôs generous offer and reached out to families she believed needed the most help.
   ‚ÄúI offered parents the opportunity to participate in the program and made sure we included the kids we knew were not getting this kind of attention,‚Äù said Jenner.
    Many of the children who came Friday were in dire need of a dentist‚Äôs expertise and care, said Office Manager Wendy Lombardo.
   ‚ÄúA lot of these kids live in homes where parents either can‚Äôt afford dental care for them or don‚Äôt know where to go for it, so if we can use our skills to address some of their health problems that is something we are happy to do,‚Äù she said.
    Moriarty said economically disadvantaged children suffer from cavities, tartar build up and tooth decay at a higher rate than their wealthier counterparts.
   ‚ÄúThe need for our help is out there,‚Äù she said. ‚ÄúThere are people who can not afford treatment but that is no reason to withhold it from them, especially when it comes to young people.‚Äù
    Raynalee Santana is a 15 year old Somerville High student who lives at the Mystic Ave. Housing Development. Santana said she does not have health insurance, but wants to maintain her health.
    ‚ÄúI heard about today‚Äôs {event} at my job at the {Mystic} Learning Center. My family doesn‚Äôt have health insurance, so I wanted to take advantage of the free care. Plus, everybody needs to pay attention to their health. I‚Äôm no different,‚Äù she said.
    The children were driven to Moriarty‚Äôs office by Somerville Schools truancy officers Buddy Willey and Richard Melillo, Somerville natives who appreciated the opportunity to give back to their hometown.
   ‚ÄúBecause of the nature of my job, I usually have to deal with Somerville kids under negative circumstances. So anytime I have the opportunity to interact with these kids in a positive manner I cherish it,‚Äù said Melillo.
   ‚ÄúI helped out today because Karen Jenner made me,‚Äù joked Buddy Willey. ‚ÄúSeriously though, Karen is the best and anytime she puts something as positive as this together, I want to help. It‚Äôs just nice to see a group of kids receive the type of care and attention they deserve, but may not always get.‚Äù
    Moriarty and her staff provided the children with $7,500 in free dental care Friday morning, but according to Lombardo, it was the staff that reaped the biggest profit.
  ‚ÄúJust looking at the kids faces is enough of a reward. It doesn‚Äôt matter where these kids are from or what their background is, they are great kids and they just want to be loved and cared for like any other kid,‚Äù she said.
   In the office Friday morning, 7 year old Tanisha Louis climbed out of the dentist chair and walked proudly back to the waiting room to show off her suddenly whiter and healthier teeth and the new toothbrush the dentist had given her.
   ‚ÄúI liked being with the dentist because she told me the right way to brush and floss and about eating healthy,‚Äù said Louis. ‚ÄúPlus, I got free prizes and a toothbrush.‚Äù