Douglas County Dental Clinic

The Kansas Office of Oral Health formal surveillance program documents that many students experience active dental decay and even more severe infections that can threaten overall health. Pain and infection hamper a student’s ability to learn, socialize and respond enthusiastically to new ideas and information. In short, when oral disease goes undetected and/or untreated, students’ ability to learn is curtailed.

Douglas County Dental Clinic’s Friendly Smiles is a school-based preventive dental hygiene program. Ginny Clark, RDH, holds a special certification, called an Extended Care Permit. The ECP hygienist may perform screenings, prophylaxis, fluoride varnish application, personalized oral hygiene education and sealants to eligible children at school. Children who have Medicaid or Healthwave or qualify for the free and reduced lunch program at school are eligible to participate.

These services are designed to prevent oral diseases or identify them early enough to save children from severe problems. Hygienists also educate and motivate students to take care of their teeth and gums and to refrain from practices that destroy teeth. Students who live in rural areas of Kansas often have to travel more than an hour during a weekday to a dental office. Students in urban areas are surrounded by more dentists, but families with low incomes find few dentists who accept Medicaid and know that private treatment is expensive. Many low-income parents have jobs that do not allow them to take any time off to take their children to one of the few dentists who do accept Medicaid. Others do not have transportation. With Extended Care Permit services, hygienists can take prevention, early identification services, and personalized oral health education directly students. This saves the student and family from the obstacles of time and transportation and the student misses less time away from the classroom.

After preventive services are delivered, children who do not have an established dental home can be referred back to the Douglas County Dental Clinic for a comprehensive exam by one of our dentists, and restorative work if decay is identified.

The clinic was granted funding through the Delta Dental of Kansas Foundation to purchase portable hygiene equipment and supplies to begin this program.

If you have questions regarding this program, please call Julie Branstrom at (785) 312-7770 ext. 207