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Improving Oral Health through School-Based Prevention in Taconic Hills School District

Improve Community Assets
School-Based Health
Organization: Columbia Memorial Hospital
Grant: $25,000
Grant Year: 2013
County: Columbia
State: NY

Support of an in-school dental program for Head Start and K-4 that includes screenings, cleanings, sealants, treatments and parent education.

School-based oral health programs work: dental sealants are a proven form of prevention for tooth decay and school-based sealant programs have been found to be the most cost-effective way to reach children that are at the greatest risk of cavities. Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic conditions of children in the United States. Approximately 1 in 5 (20%) children aged 5 to 11 years have at least one untreated decayed tooth. School-based sealant programs have been found to be the most cost-effective way to reach children that are at the greatest risk of cavities. Brooker Memorial has become indispensable resourcs in our rural community, providing essential services that would otherwise be unavailable to many of our region’s children.