{"id":172258,"date":"2023-02-06T08:28:59","date_gmt":"2023-02-06T18:28:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=172258"},"modified":"2023-02-07T11:00:39","modified_gmt":"2023-02-07T21:00:39","slug":"no-cost-oral-health-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/02\/06\/no-cost-oral-health-services\/","title":{"rendered":"No-cost oral health services for public school students"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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A child receives a dental screening from an oral health provider.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In recognition of National Children\u2019s Dental Health Month, nurses and dental health providers with the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Keiki—Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Dental Service (HDS<\/abbr>) Dental Sealant Program<\/a> are reminding parents of the importance of oral health and encourage them to take their child to the dentist. No-cost dental screenings are also available to keiki attending Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Department of Education (HIDOE<\/abbr>) public schools on Oʻahu<\/span>, Maui and Kauaʻi<\/span>. <\/p>\n

Nearly 2,000 public school keiki have received dental screenings through the program since 2019. Of those keiki, more than half (61%) needed and received dental sealants, indicating a high-need for school-based health services programs that address oral health. <\/p>\n

Dental sealants are a quick and an easy way to prevent cavities. However, despite the high-need and benefits, it is reported that more than 60% of children statewide do not have dental sealants.<\/p>\n

“The program is an important first step in improving oral health outcomes for our keiki,” said Deborah Mattheus<\/strong>, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Keiki-HDS Dental Sealant program director, who is also an associate professor of nursing<\/a> at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa. “It\u2019s not unusual for keiki to miss school due to dental pain, which not only limits their ability to eat and speak, but also reduces their overall quality of life. Thanks to the generous support of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Dental Services Foundation, school-based health programs like ours can offer a solution by providing dental sealants directly to school campuses and at no-cost to families.” <\/p>\n

Expanding services <\/h2>\n

For the past three years, the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Keiki\u2014HDS<\/abbr> Dental Sealant Program has experienced rapid growth to address the high-need for dental sealants in the state by providing screenings and sealants to 2nd and 3rd grade keiki at HIDOE<\/abbr> Title 1 schools. In 2019, the program was piloted on Oʻahu<\/span> and screened 106 keiki. Now in its third year, the program screened 869 keiki in the fall 2022 semester and has expanded from Oʻahu<\/span> to Maui and Kauaʻi<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Since 2019, the program has:<\/p>\n