Recap from the March 2, 2026, meeting.
Meeting run by President: Mark Roberts
Thought of the Day: Mark Roberts
Contact Mark to get on the Thought of the Day schedule.
Happy News/Announcements: All Happy News funds go towards our scholarship awards.
Lindsey- Son turned 14 and drove us to school this morning!
Mark Roberts- Penalized himself for taking his badge home last week.
Club Business:
- Hancher Ticket Raffle- The 2 Tickets to Beetlejuice at Hancher will be raffled off next week. All proceeds support scholarships and student leadership opportunities like RYLA and the World Affairs Conference.
- March Social- Tomorrow: Join us at the Creek for a wine tasting social event on Tuesday, March 3rd, from 4:30-6:30. This is a perfect event to invite a prospective member to meet club members.
- Remember the Rotary Foundation when you consider giving to organizations. The Foundation supports local and international service projects. You can give through ACH or check. Talk to Lindsey for more information.
- Gretchen Nolman will lead monthly ClubRunner training on the 3rd Monday at 3:30 pm and 7:00 pm. Training will be held on Zoom for anyone interested in learning more about ClubRunner.
- Follow the Rotary Club of Muscatine’s Facebook page, @MuscatineRotaryClub.
- We are looking for members to join the board. This is a great opportunity to get involved and give back.
Presentation-
Rachael Patterson-Rahn- I-Smile Program
I-Smile is a statewide program that improves access to dental care for low-income children. I-Smile at School provides dental sealants for second- and third-grade students directly at their schools. I-Smile Silver is a newer program for seniors and veterans, currently offered in Lee, Des Moines, and Van Buren counties, to help address the gap in dental coverage since Medicare does not include dental benefits.
I-Smile services include oral screenings, risk assessments, fluoride treatments (including silver diamine fluoride), dental sealants, nutrition counseling to prevent dental disease, tobacco cessation counseling, photographs and radiographs, referrals, and care coordination.
Local direct services in Muscatine are provided by Briana Brim with Trinity Muscatine. Services are delivered at WIC offices, Head Start programs, child care centers, and schools.
Funding comes from several sources:
- I-Smile is funded through Title V and state-appropriated dollars.
- I-Smile at School is funded through CDC state funding.
- I-Smile Silver is funded through HRSA dollars.
- Non-Medicaid children are served on-site using ECI funds.
There are current legislative discussions that could impact oral health, including proposals to ban fluoride in public water systems. This would significantly set back decades of progress. For example, before fluoride was added to public water in the 1950s, tooth decay was so widespread that it was the number one reason men were unable to enlist during World War II because they did not have enough healthy teeth to qualify.
ECI funding has also recently been uncertain, highlighting the importance of continued support for prevention-based dental programs like I-Smile.
Missed Monday’s Meeting? Enjoy the recording using the link below.
Passcode: #*fE&^1v
Next Meetings:
March 9- Project Search
March 16- Muscatine Women’s Leadership Network