According to a press release, dental hygienists screen and apply sealants to approximately 2,400 students in the Jackson-Madison County School System each school year. Sealants help prevent tooth decay.

Dental staff with the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department will screen students at West Bemis Middle School this week.

The School Based Dental Prevention Program is funded through federal grant money and free of charge for all students who participate.

“The dental program is important because it provides an opportunity for tooth decay prevention within the community,” Kristin Bodiford, RDH, said. “The program also helps raise dental awareness and provide dental education for children, parents, and teachers.”

Dental staff screen kindergarten through eighth grade students in the Jackson-Madison County School System where more than 50 percent of students qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. They spend on average about three weeks at each school.

The parent or guardian receives a report from the dental hygienist after each screening. If a student has a cavity, the report will let the parents know the child needs to be seen by a dentist for treatment. “We advise every student to receive a dental examination, complete with x-rays, at least once a year by his or her family dentist,” Bodiford said.

Dental staff have already screened students at Arlington Elementary, Jackson Career and Technology, Denmark Elementary, and Rose Hill this school year.

(PHOTO: A dental hygienist works with a student in the Jackson-Madison County School system)
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