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Eastern Plains Oral Health Initiative
Good oral health and dental care for children is essential for them to stay healthy. Unfortunately, the
frequency of undetected dental problems among children living in rural, low income counties served by CAHEC is
significant.
Many of children are unable to receive regular dental care and lack an understanding of oral hygiene and disease.
This lack of service is in part due to a severe shortage of dentists, dental hygienists and other dental care
professionals in rural areas. Furthermore, few providers accept Medicaid or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+),
which are the only health care coverage plans available to many low income, rural families.
Consequently many local children have advanced decay by the time they are seven or eight or even earlier.
In an effort to improve this situation, CAHEC, in conjunction with local county health departments and the
Rural Communities Resource Center is conducting the
Eastern Plains Oral Health Initiative in the seven *frontier counties of
- Cheyenne
- Kit Carson
- Lincoln
- Phillips
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This is a school-based initiative conducted in 26 schools in these counties which are attended by approximately
1,800 children. The program combines:
- oral health education for children and their parents;
- dental screenings and fluoride varnishes for preK-2nd grade students (with parental/guardian consent); and
- the application of dental sealants to the molars of 2nd grade students
The fluoride treatments and sealant applications are evidence-based preventative measures for children who might
not receive regular dental care. These services are provided at the schools by trained public health nurses and
Registered Dental Hygienists utilizing portable dental office equipment.
The program is reaching a large number of children and their parents. During the 2008-2009 school year more than
2,000 children, including those too young for school, received dental education while 1,200 students had dental
health screenings and fluoride treatments and 190 second graders received dental sealants! As of the end of
October of the 2009-2010 school year more than 450 children had been screened and fluoride applied and more
will be screened as the year progresses.
The parents of each child screened receive a report and those with children in severe need of dental care were
provided with information on local dentists or dental practices that accept Medicaid/CHP+ or have a sliding scale
fee system in place.
Proper dental care at home is a critical part of improving the dental health of children of all ages. To
encourage on-going dental practices at home, parents and caregivers are educated about childhood dental care
during back-to-school events, parent-teacher conferences and one-on-one sessions.
Experience has shown that once the schools understand the program, they become enthusiastic supporters. Oral
health education is consistent with their curricular needs and they are grateful for the professionals the
program has as guest speakers. The hygienists report that almost all children have been comfortable having their
mouths examined and the material applied. This is thought to be because this took place in the schools amid
surroundings they were familiar to them rather than in a dentist’s office.
The Eastern Plains Oral Health Initiative is generously funded by the Caring for Colorado Foundation.
Download a copy of our Oral Health Brochure.
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