The ACCESS Community Health and Research Center (CHRC) launched Michigan’s first school-linked dental sealant/care pilot program on Feb. 3 thanks to a partnership with the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), the School-Community Health Alliance of Michigan (SCHA-MI) and funding from the Delta Dental Foundation.
ACCESS and its partners marked the start of the program, which will serve eligible children at 15 elementary and middle schools in metro Detroit, with a celebration at Salina Elementary School in south Dearborn. During the celebration, oral care specialists provided first- and second-graders with much-needed dental screenings and sealants. The children also enjoyed a special oral health assembly with activity stations, including fun science experiments and educational materials that emphasized the importance of good oral health.
With tooth decay as the number one chronic childhood disease in the United States, the pilot program is designed to improve oral health and prevent decay by providing school-aged children with dental screenings, sealants and follow-up care.
“We are thrilled to be able to provide dental care and sealants to the children of our community,” said Mona Farroukh, ACCESS Child and Adolescent Health Center supervisor. “The addition of dental services completes our catalog of preventive services we provide to our youth. With this program, the families of this community are able to be educated, knowledgeable and receive services that otherwise would never be available to them.”
Studies have found that states with school-linked dental sealant programs have significantly reduced rates of dental decay among high-risk children. For this reason, ACCESS partnered with MDCH and SCHA-MI to design a pilot program that paired a dental sealant program with a school-linked health center.
“Dental sealants are an evidenced-based method of preventing dental decay and are quick, easy and painless to apply,” said James K. Haveman, director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. “Through our partnership with the Delta Dental Foundation and community organizations such as ACCESS, we are focused on providing dental sealants to students through SEAL! Michigan to help parents protect their children’s oral and overall health in an affordable and convenient way.”
Teri Battaglieri, director of the Delta Dental Foundation, said the foundation is pleased to partner with ACCESS.
“We are proud to provide $72,000 to fund this pilot program to help ensure that children in Dearborn receive the preventive dental care they need for healthy smiles,” Battaglieri said. “Our hope is that this pilot program’s success will serve as a model for similar programs in other areas of the state.”
For more information, contact Mona Farroukh, ACCESS Child and Adolescent Health Center supervisor, at 313-318-5881, or email mfarroukh@accesscommunity.org.
