Students say ‘ahhh’ to free dental care
While measures like fluoridating the water supply have done much to improve children’s dental health over the last 40 years, many children still do not receive proper dental care.
To help combat this problem, the Tennessee Department of Health conducts annual preventive screenings, including a free sealant program, at schools across the state. Currently, over 300 students at Bobby Ray Elementary are benefiting from this program.
Open to all the school’s students, the program began Friday with dental screenings of all students whose parents allowed them to take part. Department of Health dentist Dr. Beverly Hedgepeth, with help from dental hygienist Camille Crenshaw and registered dental assistant Tammy Gongaware, conducted the screenings. The purpose was to identify children with tooth decay or who otherwise need dental work.
Beginning Wednesday, Crenshaw will oversee the sealant program which will put, free of charge, sealant (a coating applied to teeth which prevent cavities) on the permanent, non-cavity teeth, of all participating children.
Additionally, Crenshaw, or Miss Camille as she is better known, will provide dental education in the school’s classrooms, teaching the students the importance and technique of proper brushing and flossing.
“This is a really good program,” said Hedgepeth. “Fluoridated water and the sealant program have really helped the state of children’s dental health since the ’60s, but it’s getting worse, particularly because of sodas.” She noted over half of the students she examined Friday were in need of further dental care.
The cost of the dental prevention program at Bobby Ray could not be calculated exactly. However, Hedgepeth said screenings such as the ones she performed would probably cost around $30 each, while it costs about $35 per tooth for sealant, with each student to have an average of four teeth sealed.
Principal Bonnie Collier said she was thrilled to have the program at Bobby Ray. In addition to providing expensive dental service for free and teaching the children good dental habits, she said it would also serve to help those children who might otherwise have avoided going to the dentist out of fear and teach them they have nothing to be afraid of.