MO Healthy Smiles

Head Starts Across Missouri Adopt PSP

Thirty Head Start Coordinators gathered in Columbia on February 25th for a Peer to Peer Meeting to discuss strategies for implementing the Preventive Services Program in their Centers. 

Dr. Nick Rogers, Region VII Dental Consultant, presented information to update the coordinators on federal initiatives.  A panel presentation (see photo) described the "nuts and bolts" of implementing the valuable program in a Center. 

Pictured in the photo are (L-R) Marilyn Howell, Sharon Young, Shirley Reser, Shasta Heterington and Beth Vossler.  Standing is Bonnie Branson, Oral Health Project Director.

Dental Professionals "Team Up" To Provide PSP

      1 Orthodontist, 6 Dental Hygienists and 16 students from the Allied College School of Dental Assisting teamed up to provide dental screenings and fluoride varnish to students at the Telegraph Intermediate School in Festus, Missouri this past Fall.

    Telegraph is one of three schools in the Jefferson County R-VII School District who participated in the Preventive Services Program, and after many months of organizing and preparing for the event, the day finally paid off in what the volunteers claimed to be a relatively quick and very enjoyable experience.

    To complete the second and final application of fluoride varnish, the school has enlisted the help of the students and faculty at the Saint Louis Community College's Dental Hygiene Program.  They are scheduled to provide this service in March, which will conclude the program for this school for the year.

Thumbs Up For Fluoride Varnish

      Students at Plattin Primary School in the Jefferson County R-VII School District, enthusiastically participated in the school's very first PSP event held in October. 

    After a short class-wide oral health educational power point presentation, students were ushered down the hallway to the library where dental professionals and community volunteers eagerly awaited to screen the children for dental problems and apply fluoride varnish to help prevent dental decay.

    The school is currently making plans to follow-up with a second application of fluoride varnish during the month of March.  This young man happily agrees to the "thumbs up" for raspberry flavored fluoride varnish.

Elementary School In The Fort Zumwalt School District "Pilots" PSP

      Students from the Rock Creek Elementary School participated in the school's first PSP event during the month of November.  Staff and volunteers successfully screened and varnished over 300 children.  According to the school nurse, Tracy Estrel, "PSP proved to be invaluable for oral health education and prevention as well as a wonderful screening tool for the identification of students requiring dental intervention".

    One local dentist, Dr. Mark Dolson (pictured left), as well as 7 dental hygienists from the community provided the dental screenings, while 6 dental assistants and 15 parents volunteered to provide help with oral health education, dry brush instruction and fluoride varnish application.

    Rock Creek Elementary School is looking forward to another successful PSP event in March when it completes the second application of fluoride varnish for the school year.