Sponsor: Saint Luke's Foundation
Project Period: August 20, 2001 – December 31, 2013
Abstract
The mission of the Healthy Smiles Sealant Program is to reduce disparities in oral health care for underserved school children in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, the second largest school district in Ohio. To achieve this mission, temporary clinics are set up at each CMSD elementary school, where pre-doctoral dental students perform dental exams and apply sealants to children in grades 2, 3 and 6. Children have cavity-free teeth sealed and, for those with cavities, are referred by our program coordinator to a community dentist or a safety-net provider for further treatment. Prior to treatment, health educators visit the schools to teach children about general health care, oral health care, and nutritional health. Lesson plans for teachers are provided monthly to reinforce the message conveyed by the health educators. During the 2010-2011 school year, the Sealant Program visited all 76 CMSD schools and treated over 5,300 children with 16,000 sealants.
Project Team
James Lalumandier, DDS, MPH – Department of Community Dentistry
Catherine Demko, PhD – Department of Community Dentistry
Kristin Williams, DDS, MPH – Department of Community Dentistry
James Houston, DDS – Department of Community Dentistry