School-Based Oral Health Programs
Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine currently runs five citywide prevention programs and operates in 58 schools in Boston, Chelsea, Framingham, Natick, and Lawrence, delivering preventive services to thousands of Boston-area children, including oral screenings, fluoride applications, placement of sealants, and oral health education. During the 2010-11 academic year, these programs provided 3,955 oral screenings and fluoride applications, and 3,303 dental sealants were placed for 991 children. Oral health education was provided to 11,713 children in 58 schools, including 2,691 children in Chelsea, 1,184 children in Framingham and Natick, 2,448 children in Lawrence, and 5,390 children in Boston through the Smart Smiles Program.
Chelsea Comprehensive School-Based Dental Program: For the 11th year in Chelsea, GSDM provided city-wide comprehensive services including classroom education, dental screenings, dental sealant placement, fluoride varnish applications, and restorative dental care for children enrolled in the public schools. Through partnerships with CAPIC Head Start and the Chelsea/Revere Family Network, services are also provided to many of Chelsea’s preschoolers. This comprehensive oral health program is included in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Health Care Innovations Exchange, a national program designed to support health care professionals in sharing and adopting innovations that improve the delivery of care to underserved patients.
During the 2010-11 school year, this program provided classroom oral health education to 2691 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 4 in the Chelsea Public Schools. Dental screenings and referrals were provided to 1,108 students and 614 dental sealants were placed for 210 first through fourth graders in Chelsea. Additionally, 1,108 pre-kindergarten through fourth graders received one or more applications of fluoride varnish during the school year.
Since opening in April of 2003, the Chelsea School Dental Center, managed by GSDM and located in the Williams Middle School, has provided preventive and restorative services for thousands of children. Four bilingual dentists treat patients in this full-service clinic. Many of the patients, ranging in age from preschoolers to high school seniors, have never been to the dentist and would have no other source of dental care if it were not for the Chelsea Dental Center.
Framingham School Dental Program (SEAL Framingham): Funded by the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation, CHP operates a town wide school-based dental sealant program for second graders within all 8 public elementary schools. During the 2010-11 school year, oral health education was presented to 672 Grade 2 children; additionally, 286 Grade 2 children were screened and 709 sealants were placed for 229 Grade 2 children who also received an application of fluoride varnish. The Framingham Fluoride Program, operating in three public elementary schools as a part of SEAL Framingham, provided oral health education for 591 kindergarten and Grade 1 children well as dental screenings and fluoride varnish applications for 289 kindergarten and Grade 1 children.
Lawrence School Dental Program (SEAL Lawrence): CHP provides second and third grade children in all 10 elementary schools in the City of Lawrence with oral health education, dental screenings, fluoride applications, and sealants. During this past year, the program expanded to include 2 middle schools. Oral health education was presented to 2,448 students, 822 students received dental screenings, and 566 sealants were placed on the teeth of 173 students.
Natick School Dental Program (SEAL Natick): CHP runs a town wide school-based dental sealant program for second graders within all 5 public elementary schools. As with SEAL Framingham, this program is funded by the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation. During the 2010-11 school year, through this program over 400 children received oral health education, 141 received oral screenings, 337 sealants were placed, and an application of fluoride varnish was provided for 141 children. The Natick Fluoride Program, also supported by SEAL Natick grant funds, provided oral health education to over 90 kindergarten and Grade 1 children as well as oral screenings and fluoride varnish applications for 35 of these children.
Smart Smiles in Boston Public Schools: During the 2010-11 school year GSDM provided education for 5,390 children, dental screenings for 1,178 students, and 1,052 sealants were placed for 346 children in 30 schools in Boston Public Schools (BPS), including: Aligheri, Beethoven, Clap, Conley, Dever, Edison, Eliot, English High, Everett, Fifield, Gardner, Grew, Haley, Henderson, Higginson/Lewis, Holland, Hurley, Kenny, Kilmer, Lyndon, Mason, McKay, Mission Hill, Mozart, Orchard Gardens K-8, Perkins, Roosevelt, Sumner, Trotter, and Young Achievers.
As part of Boston University’s commitment to Mayor Menino’s StepUp initiative, CHP offered oral health services to three schools—English High School, Orchard Gardens K-8 School, and the William Monroe Trotter School. Oral health education was provided to 544 students in these schools, and 144 students received dental screenings, fluoride varnish treatments, and/or dental sealants through this program.
