Educating and Treating School Children Impacts Much More than the Child

Abstract

The Healthy Smiles Sealant Program dramatically impacts the dental school, university, schoolchildren and community. Expanding the program district-wide necessitated modifying the dental school curriculum to emphasize the importance of improving the oral health of society. At the university, the president points to the dental school as the symbol of engagement with the community in educating nearly 11,000 children, treating 4,500 children and referring 2,300 children during the 2003-2004 school year.