TITLE
Title
HHS- PUBLIC HEALTH DELTA DENTAL GRANT - SMILES IN THE CLASSROOM ($5,000)
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Courtney McFadden
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BACKGROUND
Background
Guilford County Division of Public Health's School Health program has provided oral health screens in Guilford County schools since 2014, through a Dental Hygienist. Delta Dental has awarded the School Health Program $5,000 in Grant funding since 2023 to implement the Smiles in the Classroom program. This project provides oral health supplies such as a toothbrush, brushing timer, and/or toothpaste to Guilford County Public School (GCS) kindergarten students at the time of their kindergarten dental screening.
Over the last three years we have been able to grow the program, allowing us to provide toothbrushes to small groups of 1st and 3rd grade students when their class participates in oral health education classes. These classes are designed specifically to celebrate Children’s Dental Health Month during the month of February. Additionally, oral health kits (toothbrushes, brushing timer and/or toothpaste along with an insert on general good oral health recommendations) are provided, upon school nurse request, to some of our high-risk (diabetic, pregnant, and/or housing insecure) older students. Good oral health is essential to good overall all health and many students do not have the basic supplies needed to be successful with achieving good oral health. This program provides students with the necessary tools so that they can work towards and/or maintain good oral health. Funds will be used to purchase toothbrushes, brushing timers, and toothpaste samples.
Guilford County Public Health-School Health Division is the only entity in the county that has a MOA that allows for the School Health Dental Hygienist to provide kindergarten dental screenings to GCS students. That same MOA also allows the School Health Dental Hygienist to screen any enrolled student grade K-12 that has an urgent dental need. During the...
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