The Value of A Smile
More Than A Healthy Smile
Children miss 52 million school hours each year with oral disease. Dental disease is the most common chronic childhood disease in America, affecting 50% of 1st graders and 80% of 17-year-olds. Children with poor oral health are in pain. This affects a child's eating habits, growth, self-esteem, and speech and makes them more likely to get sick and miss school and even affects concentration. |
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“Save A Smile” Dental Project
The Save A Smile dental project is a Communities In Schools partnership with Cook Children's Medical Center, the Amon Carter Foundation, The United Way, School Nurses, and the Children's Oral Health Coalition.
CIS organized dental screenings for almost 4,600 pre-k through 3 rd graders last year, with over 750 of these children needing immediate dental care. CIS staff coordinated resources and public assistance needs and then personally delivered 53% of these children to volunteer dentists for treatment.
Saving More Than Smiles
Many diseases can be diagnosed in their early stages through having an oral examination.
Swollen gums, mouth ulcers, extremely dry mouth, excessive periodontal problems, and other oral symptoms can serve as indicators to diseases including diabetes, leukemia, oral cancers, heart disease, and kidney disease. A dental exam also picks up on poor nutrition and hygiene, growth and development problems, and improper jaw alignment. Seeing a dentist every 6 months could help identify these diseases before serious health problems result.
What You Can Do
- Ask Your Dentist To Volunteer to help with screenings or dental care.
- Volunteer Your Time to assist with screenings at schools.
- Donate to CIS to support the hiring of additional case aides who assists families with resources and transportation to dentist offices.
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