MO Healthy Smiles

Nursing Students Participate in PSP

Nursing students from the Four Rivers Career Center in Washington, Missouri offered their services to help apply fluoride varnish during a recent PSP event held at New Haven Elementary School.  This enabled the school to complete their second application of fluoride varnish for the 2010-2011 schoolyear.

Utilizing available resources like professional students from within the community to implement PSP is an excellent example of the program's "community-based" approach to the prevention of oral disease.  Community support and involvement is essential to the success of PSP.  New Haven Elementary School has embraced this concept and for three years has continued to find such resources.

Your Mouth is Talking Campaign Shines a Light on Dental Needs

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Oral Health Program would like to recognize the work that the Missouri Dental Association has been doing with their "Your Mouth is Talking" campaign.  We are working together to promote good oral health. The following is one of the campaign's radio messages.

AUDIO: Your Mouth is Talking

 

St. Pius X Catholic School Implements PSP

    

    Dental decay is one of the most common, chronic, infectious diseases affecting children in the United States today, though in most instances, can be easily prevented.  As a result of the Preventive Services Program, schools across the state of Missouri are recognizing the need for greater involvement in the prevention of dental diseases by taking part in overseeing the oral health of the children they serve.  One such school is St. Pius X Catholic School in Moberly, Missouri.  This past fall, Dr. Michael Berry, a local dentist, along with his staff, provided dental screenings, fluoride varnish and referrals for the children at this school.  The children have since received their second application of fluoride varnish, completing their participation in PSP for the 2010-2011 school-year.

New Dental Hygiene Program Partners with PSP

 

    

    In 2009, Missouri College in St. Louis received accreditation to open up a new dental hygiene program in the area.  With their main focus on community health, the program faculty eagerly incorporated PSP into part of their practicum for Community Dental Health.  As a result, a number of children from different preschool and kindergarten programs as well as students at the local State School for the Severely Disabled received valuable preventive services such as dental screenings, fluoride varnish and oral health education.  In return, the dental hygiene students benefited too, by gaining not only hands on experience, but also the satisfaction that comes from serving others in these various settings.

    Pictured above are children from Dewey Elementary School, a St. Louis Public School.

Warsaw R-IX School Nursing Staff's First PSP Event

Benton County nurses are taking steps to prevent dental disease in their schools. Jeff Colgan, Warsaw R-IX School Nurse Coordinator, took the lead to organize the first PSP event in South Elementary. He recruited dental hygienists, Stephanie Eaton and Taylor Hayes to do the oral health screenings. Area volunteers from the school staff, school nurses, and parents help to make the event a success. 146 students participated in the oral health screenings and fluoride varnish applications. Jeff is hoping for more participation next year and to include 2 more elementary schools, WIC, and Parents As Teachers Program. Below are pictures from the event.

  
  
  
 
 
 

Economic Security Corporation Early Head Start Utilizes PSP

The Economic Security Corporation (ESC) implemented the PSP with Early Head Start children in November 2010 in Joplin, MO .The  senior Dental Hygiene students from Missouri Southern State University provided the oral screenings for the children. Nancy Karst, RDH organized the PSP event in partnership with the ESC by recruiting many volunteers to add to the success of a great oral screening and varnishapplication event. Photos below show the dental hygiene senior class at MSSU plus an toddler ready for her fluoride varnish application.

 
 

PSP Runs Three Years in a Row at New Haven Elementary

 
For three years in a row, some Franklin County dentists have set aside time in their fall schedules to provide dental screenings at New Haven Elementary School.  Dental screenings performed on children are important. They are a means of detecting problems early.  Referring children in need of dental care in a timely manner, can prevent unwanted complications.

Pictured above are Dr. Jennifer Moser, DDS, Dr. Jackie Miller, DDS and Dr. Kevin Walde, DDS, MS, PC.

Canton Elementary School Participates in First PSP Event

Students from the elementary school in the Canton R-V School District participated in their school's first PSP event this past November.  When asked for a statement from Diane Jorgensen, RN, the school nurse, she responded, "The fluoride varnish program was a wonderful experience for everyone.  The students were excited and the volunteers were well prepared.  We set up in one large room, petitioning  off a smaller area that we used as a reception/holding area.  In the bigger area, there were 5 stations...one for the dentist and assistant for oral screenings, and 4 varnish stations.  The pre-made bags of goodies, toothbrush/paste, etc, were given to each teacher along with a recommendation/follow-up letter as the students exited.  It was truly a "smooth" day at Canton R-V".  To complete its participation in the oral health program for the 2010-2011 schoolyear, the students will receive a second application of fluoride varnish in May.

Pictured above is Dr. C. Clark Todd, DDS of Canton, Missouri and a large group of happy children.

Revere C-3 Completes First Round of Fluoride Varnish Application for the Schoolyear

Revere C-3 School completed their dental screenings and first application of fluoride varnish on 27 students on November 2, 2010.  The Salt River Community Health Center's Dental team with Dr. Deana Ball, DDS, her hygienist, Jamie Perry, RDH and her Dental Assistant, Erin Billings, voluntarily provided the service in partnership with the Missouri Oral Health Preventive Services Program.  Dental education was also provided.  Pictured here is Dr. Deana Ball, DDS and eighth grader, Taylor Lehman.

 

Owensville Students Get A Jump Start On Oral Health

  
Owensville Elementary School gets a jump start on oral health by taking part in a PSP event that was scheduled by the school's nurse in early October this year.  For the second year in a row, Dr. Hamblin and his dental team from Sullivan Family Dentistry, as well as a few local hygienists, nurses and parents, volunteered their services to help make this happen.  A total of 420 children took part in this event.  Pictured above are some of the volunteers, as well as some of the faces of the children in the background, expressing curiosity as they eagerly await their turn in line, to receive a dental screening and an application of fluoride varnish.