Elmont residents get health screenings

His right cheek pulled to the side, a blue bib draped over his chest, Christian Landauro suddenly regretted eating all that candy.

The 12-year-old Franklin Square boy was stoic as a third-year dental student prepared to inject him with gum-numbing novocaine.

"OK . . . one, two, three," the future dentist said, eyeing the gaping cavity in one of Landauro's upper right molars. He was among dozens of adults and children who lined up for free dental and medical exams at the Elmont Public Library yesterday during a community health event sponsored by the Nassau County Health Department.

The event, the first in what could be a series, was designed to give uninsured and underinsured residents access to health providers, enroll them in public insurance and assign them a "medical home" -- a clinic or physician to manage their care.

"This isn't a one-day event. The most important part of the mission here is getting them that follow-up care," said health department Commissioner Dr. Maria Torroella Carney.

Well-coordinated preventive care would keep residents out of the hospital emergency room and reduce health-care costs, experts believe.

County health officials plan to track the patients to find out how many receive follow-up care over the next few months in order to gauge the success of the pilot event. Elmont was selected as the test site based in part on diversity and financial need, Carney said.

Landauro, who hadn't seen a dentist in a year, attended the event with his mother, Maria. He walked into a tent and filled out a questionnaire. Then he got X-rays and a filling in Stony Brook University Dental School's new mobile dental clinic, a trailer equipped to do nearly everything a dental office can.

"I was kind of sure I had a cavity. I was eating a lot of sweets," Landauro admitted later. "I just wanted to get it done and over with."

The health event also included blood pressure and obesity screening; enrollment sessions for public health insurance and nutrition programs and veterans benefits; and exercise, gardening and healthy food preparation classes.

Dolcie Robertson, 49, of Elmont lost her health coverage when she recently lost her full-time job. She came to get a mammogram in another mobile clinic, operated by Nassau University Medical Center.

"I don't usually go to these sort of things but I made it a point to come today -- and I'm glad I did."