HENDERSON CO., KY (WFIE) -
Bringing dental care to school. It's a program that has a lot of parents and children smiling.
This is the second year School Smiles dentists are making a stop at North Middle School in Henderson.
The school's Youth Service Director Brad Armstead says the program is growing.
"This year, there is a total of eight completely new students," Armstead told 14 News.
He says they started the program last year after a survey showed how badly students needed the service.
"I think I did a random 100 students from each grade level and I think 75% of those students stated that they didn't have a dentist or hadn't seen a dentist," he said.
And unlike many other free dental clinics, which do only general check ups and cleanings, school smiles can do fillings, crowns and extractions.
"We try and do a lot of preventative work for these kids, sealants especially, because there are deep grooves in the tooth and that where you end up getting the cavities," noted dental assistant Dawn McKinney. "There's not anything that we couldn't do. We couldn't do endo work, which are root canals."
Friday was a general screening day, so the dentists know what kind of help the kids may need.
In a couple of months, the dentists will return, after they get permission from parents, to perform the free of lost-cost work.
Armstead says it's not too late to sign your child up for the program.
"What they need to do is contact me," said Armstead. "I've got a registration form that I will send home with the kinds, parents just have to fill out that form out."
For parents wanting more information, click here.
Copyright 2012 WFIE. All rights reserved.
In a coupe of months, the dentists will return, after they get permission from parents, to perform the free of lost-cost dental work.
