Bonnie Glass, Henry County Health Department Administrator has committed resources to implement the Preventive Services Program in the Henry County schools.
Planning sessions are scheduled to include the local dentists, dental hygienists and school nurses in organization of events for the fall. Assisting in the program is Kim Langdon, RDH, BS, instructor at State Fair Community College.
Pictured left to right are Kim Langdon and Bonnie Glass.
Dental hygiene students from State Fair Community College received training to complete the Preventive Services Program surveillance forms.
They are also well versed in PSP and how it fits into the oral health of a community.
Students will be participating in programs held in Pettis and Henry county. Pictured at left below is the Class of 2009 and Class of 2008 on the right.
On August 30th, DHSS Oral Health Consultant, Diann Bomkamp, RDH, BSDH, met with Executive Director, Robert Fruend, of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission and with St. Louis Integrated Health Network Executive Director and Interim Chief Executive Officer, Brooke Sehy, to discuss the Missouri Oral Health Preventive Services Program.
Since its formation in 2001, the Regional Health Commission (RHC) has served as a lead body for regional planning and implementation of initiatives to strengthen the health care safety net system, and to improve health literacy, prevention and wellness services. The St. Louis Integrated Health Network (IHN) is a partnership of primary and specialty medical care providers in St. Louis City and County.
The RHC and the IHN will partner with DHSS by spreading the news about the Missouri Oral Health Preventive Services Program.
The Preventive Services Program is pleased to announce that five schools in the Central City Catholic Schools system will join the program this school year.
Nurses gathered to discuss the details for the four components of the program, surveillance, education, varnish and referral. Approximately 500 children will receive the benefits of this program.
Nancy Gremli, Health Care Coordinator for the schools is always on the "look-out for a solution to the many dental needs" of the children. The Preventive Services Program fits easily within the schools' structures.
Several great resources are available for your use from the Maternal and Child Oral Health resource Center.
These resources include videos and printable materials to assist you in applying fluoride varnish. These materials will also provide credible sources documenting the value of fluoride varnish as a decay preventive measure. Check it out.
Franklin County children will receive preventive services this year due to the efforts of Crider Center and the DHSS Oral Health Program. Dr. Dustin Mace and Jennifer Siervo, Integrated Services Coordinator from the Crider Center met with DHSS representatives to coordinate the Preventive Services Program and the Crider Center Sealant Project.
Dr. Mace will be delivering preventive care in the form of dental sealants to the sixth and second grade children in the Franklin County Schools. This program is expected to impact approximately 1000 children in Franklin County.
Marie Peoples, DHSS Office Chief for Primary Care and Rural Health and Bonnie Branson, Oral Health Project Director, attended the National Dental Directors Meeting August 21-23 in Atlanta. The meetings were held in the Centers for Disease Control Global Conference Center.
Oral Health Directors from across the nation met to discuss training issues, best practices and newly released support materials. Ideas from this meeting will strengthen the Preventive Services Program and the development of population-based oral health promotion.
The Oral Health Team met at the Department of Health and Senior Services Office on Friday August 10th to prepare for the upcoming school year. Over 90 schools, head starts, community health centers and health departments are preparing to participate in this year's FLUORIDE VARNISH PROGRAM, also known as the PREVENTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM (PSP).
The PSP is a four pronged approach to oral health initiated at the community level. PSP provides a community with 1) surveillance, 2) education, 3) Fluoride Varnish and 4) referral for dental care.
Find out how your community can get involved. Contact the oral health consultant in your region. A downloadable summary of this program is available to take to your local officials.
