Pratt Regional Medical Center - Dental Screenings for Elementary Students

What is it?

The Pratt Health Foundation (PHF) collaborates with Pratt dentists and schools to provide a dental screening program for Pratt elementary kids. Kansas statutes require an annual dental screening program for elementary students. The program was started with a United Methodist Health Ministry grant three years ago, and the grant money has since been depleted. The PHF now covers most of the costs associated with the screening activities.

Children in grades K-5 from the Skyline USD 438 and Pratt USD 382 school systems are screened. Statistics are kept to monitor changes in dental health habits in the area and are submitted to the state for statistical purposes. School officials have done a great job in helping to organize the students. Records were kept and parents were notified of the dental findings for their children. The Pratt Health Foundation helps coordinate the effort and supplies the dental screening equipment. Pratt Regional Medical Center employees volunteer to sterilize the screening utensils for the program. It is a great demonstration of what a community can do when everyone works together.

Who is it for?

Children in grades K-5.

Why do they do it?

Dental screening provides an opportunity to encourage kids to brush and floss their teeth daily. The students are given toothbrushes to encourage brushing. Local and state health officials receive statistics relating to oral health. This data reveals the rate of decay in different communities and can be compared to fluoride content in the water as well as dietary tendencies. Diets that are high in sugar tend to promote tooth decay.

Impact

This year, Pratt USD 382 managed to route 382 students through the screening process in approximately 80 minutes. A total of 656 kids were screened including students from Haskins, Southwest, and Skyline. The dentists discovered 193 students with cavities, and 131 had dental challenges.

Contact: DeWayne Bryan
Executive Director, Pratt Health Foundation
Telephone: 620-672-6411
E-mail: dbryan@prmc.org