Day in the Life: Fallsway Dental Clinic
8 AM
It’s Tuesday morning and Hygienist Monica Martin, RDH, is the first one in. The dental suite at our downtown clinic is on the second floor, with four dental chairs and monitors, a sterilization room, a panoramic X-ray and a small office.
Monica has the music going already— 1970s soft rock, or “yacht rock.”
“Unfortunately, I’m the one that sets the station!” she jokes.
Monica has worked at Health Care for the Homeless for nearly 15 years. Today, Sterilization Technician Christina Giavadi is working alongside her.
Monica greets the first client of the morning, a young woman who has come with her mom. Monica does a routine cleaning, and Christina schedules her next visit on the spot.
Farther down the row, more staff and clients settle in. Dental Assistant Arriyaun Daughtry welcomes another woman and pulls out a cellphone covered in plastic. She calls a Spanish interpreter to introduce herself to the client.
The interpreter’s voice comes through on speakerphone. Staff regularly use the language line so Spanish-speaking clients can understand their care.
Dentist Merina Elahi, DMD, joins them. This is the woman’s second time getting care with Dr. E. She was in earlier for tooth pain, when she received a temporary filling.
“After the filling, did the pain go away?” Dr. E asks. “Sí, estoy bien,” she confirms.
Today, the temporary filling becomes permanent. Dr. E explains that today completes her emergency treatment, but she can continue coming here for routine dental care.
Many people first come to the dental clinic because something hurts. But resolving the immediate pain is only part of the goal. The team also wants to help clients establish ongoing care to prevent the next emergency.
8:30 AM
A young man arrives, concerned about his tooth. He tells Dental Assistant Shermera Dodson that he had surgery on a molar last year, and something doesn’t feel right.
An X-ray will help the team understand what’s happening, so Shermera hands him a lead apron.
“Pano!” she calls to the rest of the clinic. Staff step behind a wall while the machine captures an image of his mouth.
At the other end of the suite, Monica is ready for her next appointment. Baltimore native Michael Bledsoe arrives in style: Orioles shirt, orange pants and orange shoes.
“You never disappoint!” Monica exclaims.
Monica reclines the chair and starts his cleaning. She notices considerable wear on his teeth. He doesn’t grind his teeth but lets her know he does chew on ice.
That could be part of the issue. Monica points out some positives. “I know you take care of your teeth,” she tells him. “There’s very little plaque.”
Dr. E steps over for an exam, and together they talk Mr. Bledsoe through what they’re seeing: tooth wear, a sensitive spot and three cavities. They discuss a few options, including protecting a sensitive tooth now and the possibility of extracting worn teeth later.
The choice, they emphasize, is up to him.
He leaves with two appointments scheduled: one for fillings and another for his six-month cleaning. “Thank you very much, ladies,” he says on the way out.
9:30 AM
Nearby, Dental Director Khaleila Brannon, DDS, uses a rare free hour to train Christina, the newest member of the team. She has plans to become a dentist, and Dr. Brannon quizzes her on tooth numbers, filling materials and X-rays.
10 AM
Ashley Williams, Dental Scheduling Coordinator, stops by with updates: an 11 am client is early. The 10 am emergency client hasn’t arrived. There’s a walk-in, too.
The early arrival is Anthony, who is dressed in a long-sleeved button up for the occasion. Today is a big day: He’s trying on his new dentures.
Dr. Brannon places them, checks the fit and hands him a mirror.
Anthony cautiously examines his new teeth. “I like the way they look.”
He points to a spot that hurts, and Dr. Brannon smooths a few areas until the fit feels better.
Christina talks Anthony through how to care for his dentures and shares a bag of supplies, including cleaning tablets, a toothbrush, adhesive and instructions.
Then Dr. Brannon has Anthony say the days of the week. Talking and swallowing feel different, but he starts to sound more like himself after just a few tries.
“It's been a long time,” Anthony says with a small smile. He schedules a follow-up next week before heading out.
11 AM
A first-time client settles into a chair with Dr. Brannon and Christina. X-rays show bone loss and several loose teeth.
“Abre la boca grande,” Dr. Brannon says. Open wide. The interpreter line is back on speakerphone, but Dr. Brannon also sprinkles in Spanish phrases she knows to make clients feel at home.
In Spanish, the woman explains that she has never had regular dental cleanings before. Christina schedules her for a cleaning, along with extractions for the teeth causing pain.
11:30 AM
Shermera works in a small office nearby, organizing five newly fabricated dentures that came in the mail, updating charts and preparing each case for delivery.
Inspired by shadowing Monica, she's starting prerequisites for a dental hygiene program. “I hope I can come back after I finish my program!”
“Me too, you know how I feel!” Dr. Brannon laughs.
1 PM
Over the whirring equipment and music comes a steady stream of chatter.
Dr. Brannon performs a surgical extraction. “You’re doing great,” she tells the client.
He works at Orioles stadium, and the team keeps him laughing with some baseball talk.
“Stay still. Let’s get that last piece out,” she encourages. Soon he’s on his way with instructions and supplies for caring for his mouth.
2:30 PM
As a boy gets ready for fillings, his mom talks to Dr. E about their last visit here. Her son had been in pain, and the filling really helped.
Today, she's concerned about her son's loose baby tooth.
“Keep wiggling it,” Dr. E assures her. “It’s ready to come out on its own. Today we’re concentrating on cavities in his adult teeth.”
When the appointment is over, Arriyaun gives him a fist bump. “You did really good, man.”
3 PM
Between appointments, staff strip plastic barriers from keyboards and phones, wipe down surfaces and reset chairs. Arriyaun and Shermera move instruments through an ultrasonic cleaner and into the autoclave for sterilization.
A returning client walks slowly into the room, juggling a few bags and her cane. She’s soft-spoken and a bit anxious. At her last visit, the team extracted three teeth. Now she’s back with pain.
As she moves to put her pink headphones away, Dr. Brannon interjects. “Actually, you can keep your headphones on during the appointment,” she says brightly. “We love music here.”
Nodding appreciatively, the woman scrolls through her phone to find the right mix.
Dr. Brannon examines her mouth and finds an infection between two teeth. She talks through the options: antibiotics or having the teeth removed today.
The client chooses the extractions.
“I know you’re listening to your music but just raise your left hand if you are feeling any pain.” The headphones stay on as Dr. Brannon gets to work.
Afterward, Christina reviews post-extraction care and asks whether the client is interested in Tylenol or ibuprofen.
“Does it cost?” the woman asks quietly. She doesn’t have cash on her and can only pick up the prescription if it’s free.
The team checks. It’ll either be free or a dollar or two. They call it in to the pharmacy downstairs.
3:30 PM
Ashley reports that 24 clients got care so far.
Before joining Health Care for the Homeless, Ashley worked in private dentistry and watched people get rejected or sent from office to office because of insurance. Here, she gets to be part of something different.
“It’s a whole different world where you’re able to treat what needs to be done and don’t have to turn people away.”
4 PM
The last client heads out and the clinic quiets. Staff throw out used gowns, masks and gloves. And they work together to sterilize equipment and set tools out so all four chairs are ready for tomorrow morning.
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