Students at the University of Louisville (UofL) School of Dentistry provided nearly 600 free dental screenings for children at the Engelhard, Roosevelt Perry, Camp Taylor, Wilkerson, Jeffersontown, and Rutherford elementary schools on February 1 as part of its Give Kids a Smile Day.
The students looked for signs of dental decay and cavities and notified parents about their findings. Staff at the School of Dentistry are now following up with parents of children who had urgent needs to schedule treatment appointments.
“Tooth decay can be painful if left untreated, and painful teeth will affect a child’s performance in school,” said Hector Martinez, DDS, MSc, vice chair of the school’s Department of Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry and Special Care.
Also, dental hygiene students visited classrooms at the schools to provide oral health education to about 2,000 children. The hygiene students explained how to properly brush and floss. They also discussed the importance of visiting a dentist and making healthy snack and drink choices.
The Jefferson County Public Schools Academic Support Services and Family Resource Coordinators and Health Services collaborated with UofL on the event along with community partners including the ADA Foundation, Rob Arnold and Aetna Better Health of Kentucky, Avesis, Delta Dental of Kentucky, the Louisville Dental Society, the Louisville Water Company, Smile Kentucky! and Tyler Village Subway.
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