The American Dental Association (ADA) celebrates Children’s Dental Health Month every February. This month is dedicated to raising awareness on the importance of oral health in children. According to the ADA , tooth decay has become the most common chronic childhood disease, affecting more than 40% of children by the time they reach Kindergarten. Additionally, kids who suffer from poor oral health are three times more likely to miss school as a result of dental pain.1
In an effort to combat early childhood tooth decay, Scenic Bluffs offers the School Oral Health Program. This program provides preventive oral health care services to students in area schools, at no cost to families. The program provides assessments, dental sealants, and fluoride applications (when appropriate) to students in seven area school districts and five local Head Start programs. By providing two visits at each school (one in the fall and one in the spring), the dental hygienist is able to confirm sealant retention on teeth and examine for newly erupted molars.
Joni Mellem, RDH, the School Oral Health Program Coordinator at Scenic Bluffs, has seen the impact of the program year after year. “By placing dental sealants and fluoride treatment on teeth at an early age, we are beginning to see fewer students with tooth decay, which is very different than what we we’ve seen in the past.” Mellem not only provides oral health services in schools, but also works with families to refer them to additional services. “If further dental care is needed, and the child doesn’t have a dental home, we work to get them into Scenic Bluffs to see a dentist and start a treatment plan,” Mellem says.
Dental sealants are a proven method to prevent cavities in the pits and fissures of permanent molars. According to the Centers for Disease Control, "School sealant programs are a highly effective way to deliver sealants to children who are less likely to receive private dental care.” The Community Preventative Services Task Force finds, "Dental sealants result in a large reduction in tooth decay among school-aged children."
Western Wisconsin is considered a Health Professional Shortage Area for dental health services.2 Families with Medicaid/BadgerCare experience additional access barriers, as few providers in the region accept Medicaid insurance for dental services. By providing these services in the region, Scenic Bluffs strives to close the gap in health access barriers.
To see if your child's school offers the School Oral Health Program, visist www.scenicbluffs.org/SchoolSealants
1 Information provided by Children’s Dental Health: https://childrensdentalhealth.com/february-national-childrens-dental-health-month/
2 Information provided by Wisconsin Dental Association: https://www.wda.org/