Dental staff with the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department will begin screening students at Thelma Barker Elementary School today.
According to a press release from Mallory Cooke, Public Information Officer, Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department, dental hygienists screen and apply sealants for approximately 2,400 students in the Jackson-Madison County School System each school year. Sealants help prevent tooth decay.
“We are ready to get Jackson-Madison County students excited about their oral health,” Kristin Bodiford, RDH, said.
The School Based Dental Prevention Program (SBDPP) is funded through federal grant money and free of charge for all students who participate. Our registered dental hygienists screen kindergarten through eighth grade students in the Jackson-Madison County School System at schools where more than 50 percent of students qualify for free and reduced lunch. They spend on average about three weeks at each campus.
Students must turn in a permission slip signed by a parent or guardian in order to participate. “With permission from parents, all students can expect a dental screening and fluoride treatment, along with good conversation about how to take care of their teeth at home,” Bodiford said. “If the student has permanent teeth, he/she can expect to have an application of sealants on those permanent molars.”
The parent or guardian receives a report from the dental hygienist after each screening. If a student has a cavity or other problem, the report will let parents know the child needs to be seen by a dentist for treatment.
Dental disease causes children to miss more than 51 million school hours each year, according to the American Dental Association. We encourage each student to receive a dental examination, complete with x-rays, at least once a year by his or her family dentist.
Dental staff also plan to screen students at Alexander Elementary, Isaac Lane Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Northeast Middle, Pope Elementary, and South Elementary during the 2019-2020 academic year.
(PHOTO: Mallory Cooke)
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