RSDM Gives Kids a Smile at Annual Event
There were student doctors dressed as tooth fairies and a chance to play the Wheel of Dentistry game last month at RSDM's annual Give
Kids a Smile event.
The nationwide event, founded by the American Dental Association in 2003, is held to raise awareness of the importance of oral health care among children, particularly those who are disadvantaged and have limited access to dental care. It is the largest, single-day program in the state providing free dental care to children ages 12 and younger.
At RSDM, hundreds of children from Essex County grade schools received a cleaning, a fluoride treatment, an oral health goody bag and advice on taking care of their teeth and gums.
According the Center for Disease Control, tooth decay remains one of the most common chronic childhood diseases in the U.S. Twenty three percent of children between ages two and five had dental caries in primary teeth. For black and Hispanic children, the rate of caries is double.
"Disparities in caries continue to persist for some race and ethnic groups in the United States," according to findings from the CDC.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children have their first dental exam by age 12 months or within six months after the first tooth is visible, which typically happens at six months. But for some children on Give Kids a Smile day, the trip to RSDM is their first visit to the dentist.
“We know that oral bacteria can be acquired from the mother and trigger early tooth decay,” says Christopher V. Hughes, professor and chair of pediatric dentistry at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. “We see lots of data showing that children with decay early have higher rates of decay when they are older than children who are healthy.’’
The RSDM Galloway, Somerdale and Northfield clinics and Rutgers’ School of Health Related Professions in Scotch Plains also participated in the GKAS program.
