Duluth children will have something new to smile about this year when a statewide preventative dental program expands to the city's elementary schools.
Smiles Across Minnesota will kick off its Duluth effort Thursday at Lowell Music Magnet School, where children ages 3-12 with inadequate or no insurance will be able to receive dental care without leaving the building.
"They can get screenings, fluoride, varnish, sealants, all the really good basic services," said Amy Johnson, a program co-chairwoman. "They'll also get oral health education. A lot of kids don't have an awareness about how sugar affects teeth and how to properly brush their teeth."
The program is strictly volunteer; parents must sign and return a consent form before dentists will see their children. If the child requires more extensive care than what the clinic can provide, he or she will be referred to Lake Superior Community Health Center Dental Clinic, said Johnson, who also is director of community affairs for Delta Dental of Minnesota.
The service will cost about $60,000 per year, all of which will be covered by the program's partners, which include Delta Dental and United Way, said Paula Reed, president of United Way of Greater Duluth. It aims to serve between 1,000 and 2,000 Duluthians each year, she said.
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United Way's 2007 Community Impact Report showed that access to dental care is a major issue in the area, which is why United Way wanted to get involved, Reed said. In the state as a whole, 70 percent of low-income children don't receive any dental care, according to the report.
"A lot of times for families who don't get care it leads to horrendous issues when those children become adults," she said.
Duluth schools have in the past had a local hygienist provide similar services, but nothing at this scale, said Marci Hoff of Duluth public schools.
Along with Lowell, schools participating with the program include Lincoln Park, Nettleton, Macarthur, Stowe, Piedmont, Congdon Park, Grant and Homecroft.
