Preschool-Based Oral Health Programs

Preschool-Based Oral Health Programs

GSDM’s community outreach programs provide screenings and/or oral health education to over 2000 children in Boston area preschools, day care centers, Early Head Start, and Head Start programs and oral health education to preschool administrators, staff, teachers, and parents.

Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) Early Head Start (EHS): GPH faculty conducted Early Head Start oral health examinations, fluoride varnish, and referrals for children enrolled in eight ABCD Early Head Start Centers located in Bradshaw, Dorchester, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Parker Hill, Roxbury, South Boston, and the South End.

Chelsea Family Network: GPH faculty provided oral health education and dental screenings for 30 children between the ages of three and five years at Kangaroo’s Pouch during the 2015-2016 school year.

Community Action Programs Inter-City (CAPIC) Head Start: Dental screenings and fluoride applications were provided twice during the 2015-2016 school year for 265 Head Start children ages three to five years enrolled in the CAPIC Head Start (Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop) Program.

Crispus Attucks Children’s Center: GPH faculty and 12 GSDM students visited the Crispus Attucks Children’s Center in Dorchester as part of the school-based dental outreach program. For four days, the team went into six classrooms of children ages three to six years old. During the visits, the children took part in circle time where the GSDM students engaged them in hands-on dental health lessons. The 190 children participating received dental screenings and oral hygiene supplies.

Framingham South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) Head Start: As a part of the Framingham School Dental Program, 190 preschool age children were provided oral health education, and 86 children received dental screenings and fluoride treatments.

Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Child Care Center: Oral health education was provided for 162 preschool children, and dental screenings and fluoride varnish was applied for 40 children enrolled at the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Child Care Center.

Government Center Child Care Corporation: GPH faculty presented an oral health lesson to 28 preschool children enrolled in two classes at the Government Center Child Care Corporation in Boston.

Lawrence Community Day Care Early Head Start: Oral exams and fluoride varnish treatments were conducted for 67 infants and toddlers enrolled in Lawrence Community Day Care’s Early Head Start Program.

Nurtury (formerly known as Associated Early Care and Education): GSDM pre-doctoral students joined GPH faculty for nine days of dental outreach at four sites run by Nurtury, a preschool-based program serving infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children. GSDM students engaged the children with the use of puppets, taught them a tooth brushing song, and provided screenings and fluoride varnish applications. This activity is linked with the third year pre-doctoral Pediatric Dentistry course for DMD3 and AS2 students and is designed to provide pre-doctoral students additional experience with pediatric patients in non-clinical settings and improve the oral health of preschool age children.

Pine Village Preschool: GPH faculty presented an oral health lesson to 30 preschool children enrolled in three classes at the Pine Village Preschool in Boston’s South End.

Project Hope: Seventeen preschool children at Project Hope received oral health screenings, fluoride, and oral health lessons.