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New SDA hygienist to focus on man’amko
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Posted on Oct 13 2005
The new hygienist of the Seventh Day Adventist Dental Clinic is eyeing to help the elderly in the Commonwealth by conducting voluntary projects at the Aging Center.
Kelli A. Whapham, a registered dental hygienist, came to Saipan only last week and she said she finds Saipan promising in terms of her volunteer service to the community.
She said she would love to work and help the dental hygiene concerns of the islands’ man’amko.
Whapham, who hails from Clearwater, Florida, said her experience with the homeless and the elderly in the mainland makes her want to continue and extend the social service to the Commonwealth. She said she would be focusing on the problems of the elderly such as loose teeth, loose dentures, and others.
She said that she already spoke with Aging Center director Joseph Palacios on behalf of the clinic and Palacios had already expressed his gratitude to her future volunteer effort.
Whapham graduated from Ohio State University in 1979 and then pursued a bachelor’s degree in education. She said she has worked with homeless people, children, and elderly and when she set foot on Saipan she noticed the same need on the island.
“I saw the same need here on Saipan,” she said.
The elderly would only need to be reminded always to brush their teeth, said Whapham. She said that, as the elderly grow older, their manual dexterity deteriorates. She said the man’amko need to be reminded to brush their teeth because some of them may have sore mouths, too.
Whapham said the project is a first for the clinic. Fellow dentist and dental hygienist Lori DeMaine said she is equally happy to have Whapham helping the community.
“It’s great news,” she said. DeMaine said helping the needy has always been Whapham’s passion.
Whapham is currently helping DeMaine in visiting schools in promoting dental hygiene awareness as the island joins the entire nation in celebrating National Dental Hygiene Month this October.
