By Ralph Fuccillo, MA,
President, DentaQuest Foundation
It’s that time of year again – the time when
kids all across our country head back to school for another year of learning,
growth and development. But, did you know that the classroom is also a crucial
point of connection, education and even treatment when it comes to oral health?
If you are a parent, you can attest that you
always have your child’s health and wellbeing on your mind, particularly in an
age where fast food, lack of exercise and other issues plague the next
generation. For kids, tooth decay is actually the most common childhood
disease, more common than asthma. Each year, children across the United States
lose approximately 52 million school hours due to dental disease.
Unfortunately, this impacts low-income children disproportionately, as they
face more barriers to getting much-needed, preventive dental care. It’s sometimes
a challenge to find a provider that accepts their insurance, and if they are
able to secure an appointment, they may have trouble getting transportation to
and from the office, and their parents may not be able to take the time off
from work to get them there. To drive this home, kids from low-income families
have twice
the untreated tooth decay compared to their
higher-income counterparts.
Schools are a practical and cost-effective place
and time to reach children, teach them about healthy habits and even ensure
they receive the preventive oral care they need. In addition to education on
healthy personal dental care, school-based oral health programs can provide a
range of services from screenings to sealants to fluoride treatments. To
illustrate the potential of these programs, according to a
recent issue brief from the Centers for
Medicaid and Medicare Services’ (CMS) Oral Health Initiative, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that over half of kids’ tooth
decay could be prevented if half of those high-risk children participated in
school sealant programs.
Think of the potential! This is why one of our Oral Health 2020 goals is centered on this important, cost-effective initiative. By
2020, we strive to have oral health education and services incorporated into
the curriculum and offerings of the 10 largest school districts in the country.
To make this goal a reality, we partnered with
Oral Health Colorado to develop a toolkit for local communities. The
recently-launched, free Smart
Mouths Smart Kids (SMSK) toolkit is available to help communities
assess need for such a program in their local schools, measure feasibility of
program administration and create a program that is sustainable for years to
come. Its development took into account best practices and key learnings from
our work to provide local stakeholders with the tools they need to make oral
health a priority in local schools.
From engaging appropriate partners to
understanding reimbursement methodology and building a sustainable business
plan, this toolkit has everything a community needs to get started with
implementing school-based oral health care – along with support at every step
of the way – to help bring dental care and education to the next generation. While
the toolkit is focused on Colorado communities, it’s a model that can be scaled
and tailored to states across the country.
We encourage you to take a look and share with school administrators,
local government leaders, and teachers, and empower your community to bring
good oral health back to school this fall.