DPH Oral Health Screening Programs Support Students’ Healthy Smiles and Expand Access to Dental Care

Kindergarteners across Delawareare participating in the Kindergarten Oral Health Screening Program for the first time this school year, provided by the Bureau of Oral Health and Dental Services (BOHDS) within the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH). This new annual program is intended to improve the oral health of Delaware children and prepare them for a lifetime of good oral health.

In partnership with the Delaware Department of Education and school nurses, BOHDS facilitates all screenings. During each no-cost screening, dental hygienists or dentists inspect the mouths of each child using disposable mouth mirrors and flashlights. The screeners look for symptoms such as pain, swelling, infections, decay, or dental sealants. Each screening takes two minutes or less. After completing their evaluation, students receive a dental report card that includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, and dental resource guide along with the dental screening results to take home.

The kindergarten program was created with the passage of House Bill (HB) 83. Under this bill, every public school and charter school must give a dental screening to students in kindergarten by the last day of the school year starting during the 2024-2025 school year.

"The passing of HB83 is a momentous step towards improving children's oral health," said State Dental Director Dr. Nick Conte. "We can prevent dental issues from developing by prioritizing early dental care, leading to long-term health benefits. In addition, the information collected at each school helps to target futurepublic health efforts at schools where children need dental care the most."

Oral health problems can prevent a child from eating and sleeping. As a result, it can impair their ability to concentrate and learn. Thirty four million school hoursare lost every year due to unplanned and acute dental care. During the 2021-2022 academic year, 45% of Delaware's kindergarteners had at least one tooth with decay experience and 22% had untreated tooth decay according to the BOHDS's report, A Public Health Update: The Oral Health of Delaware's Kindergarten and Third Grade Children in 2022.Despite being nearly 100% preventable with proper oral hygiene and access to dental care, tooth decay (cavities) remains the most common chronic diseasein children.

Through the Delaware Smile Check Program, children and adults covered by Delaware Medicaid or the Delaware Healthy Children Program (CHIP) are eligible to receive free and optional dental screenings, fluoride treatments, and toothbrushes when they are screened in person at participating locations in Delaware. Preventive treatment and case management are also included for qualifying students (those without dental insurance, Medicaid or CHIP) at priority schools. For more information about the Delaware Smile Check Program, visit https://dethrives.com/programs/healthy-smiles#services.

Both the Kindergarten Oral Health Screening Program and the Delaware Smile Check Program are not intended to replace a dentist's dental examination. There is no diagnosis provided by these dental screenings. Based on the visual signs of dental problems following a screening, additional dental examinations and x-rays may be necessary. Through the kindergarten program, parents and caregivers will be notified by the dentist report card and staff can help find a provider. As part of the Smile Check Program, a case manager shares dental screening results with participants, provides oral health education, and schedules appointments with a dentist. Also offered are assistance with barriers related to insurance, providers, transportation, childcare and directing them to other social services.

Each program aims to provide children with prompt preventive and therapeutic oral health care, as well as improving oral health literacy. Every child's take-home toothbrush and bag contains the number for the BOHDS Dentist Helpline. For help in finding a dentist, insurance questions, and dental screening questions, adults can call the Dentist Helpline at 302-318-8850.