Family Dentistry
By Dr. Linda Niessen -- Baylor College of Dentistry STORY: FAMILY DENTISTRY SCRIPT #397 AIRDATE: Monday, Dec. 30, 2002
Monday, December 30, 2002
Plano dentist provides free services to family of 13
12/30/2002
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The Middleton family has 11 children. With three children of their own, Karen and Mickey decided to adopt the other eight, all siblings from one family.
Without this unique adoption, the brothers and sisters would have had to be split up.
In 1995, their story received local and national publicity. So what's one important thing every big family needs? Free dental care. Enter Dr. Bob Hunsucker, a family dentist.
"And I thought, you know, with a 11 children, I bet they need a dentist and so I contacted the local news station and asked them to contact the Middletons. And they did and of course they needed a dentist and that's how we got started," Plano dentist Bob Hunsucker said.
So at least once a year, all 11 children plus mother and father get a check-up, dental cleaning, and other dental services free of charge.
"Since Dr. Bob was so gracious, we all come on a Saturday when the office is closed so we don't have to share with anyone. And we stay until we're finished," Mrs. Middleton said.
"Dr. Bob, to us, he's more than just a dentist. He's family to us. And I think stepping out the way he did is an honor to only to my family but to me," Mr. Middleton said.
And for a family of 13, the rate of cavities is extremely low.
"They're doing very well. We have very few cavities at all," Mrs. Middleton said.
Now if the Middleton family could only find someone to provide the financial services of the tooth fairy.
Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.
