Why participate in Smiles@School?
About the program:
Smiles@School is a statewide initiative funded by Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation to support children’s oral health through education and prevention. The Smiles@School first grade program, now in its seventh year, provides first grade students across Minnesota with oral health supplies and education materials at no cost. The goal of this program is to remind students and parents about the importance of strong oral health habits at a young age.
First grade is a great time to teach the importance of basic oral hygiene to children. These skills will help them to avoid dental problems that could cause pain, interfere with their performance at school, reduce attendance and decrease overall productivity. Providing these tools and education helps promote lifelong oral health.
According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention:
- Dental disease is five times more prevalent than asthma and seven times more common than allergies like hay fever
- More than 51 million school hours are lost each year due to dental disease, leading to increases in educational disparity and decreases in productivity
- By age 8, over half of children (52%) have had a cavity in their primary (baby) teeth.
- Preventive treatments—many of which can be offered in schools—such as fluoride varnish and sealants have been shown to prevent an additional 40% of cavities on primary teeth
Impact of Tooth Decay:
- Tooth decay and oral disease can also cause serious pain, affecting a child’s self-esteem and their ability to eat, speak and sleep.
- A national survey found that roughly one in seven children ages 6-12 had suffered a toothache in the previous six months
- Children with poor oral health were nearly three times more likely to miss school due to dental pain, (according to a North Carolina study).
Impacts of the Program:
- 266,220 students have participated since the program began in 2016.
- 41,670 students will receive backpacks in 2023.
- 498 schools registered for the program this year.