Page 96 - FY21 Wellness Promotion Policy Annual Report

STUDENTS
Physical Education
& Physical Activity Environment &
Nutrition
Health Services EMPLOYEES Engagement COORDINATING POLICY, PROCESS, AND PRACTICE Counseling, Social Services Social & Emotional & FAMILIES
Community
Involvement
Services
Family
Psychological
HEALTHY SAFE
CHALLENGED SUPPORTED ENGAGED
Physical
Environment
Employee IMPROVING LEARNING AND HEALTH Health Climate
Wellness Education
Health
Services
COMMUNITY
Preventive Dental Services
The Dental Sealant Project, supported by the Marjorie S. Fisher Fund, has provided over 36,800 dental
screenings and placed over 96,300 sealants on second grade students since 1997. The mobile dental team
from Florida Health Palm Beach County (FHPBC) continued its commitment to provide this program in 32 Title
1 Elementary Schools (see list below). In FY21 – Meadow Park Elementary was added from the previous year.
The program continues to utilize a state of the art two-chair mobile clinic on wheels called the “Tooth Fairy.”
The team collaborates with school nurses and community partners to refer sealant program participating
children needing urgent dental care.
In March 2020 due to COVID-19, the dental sealant team lost all access to students when the District’s schools
went to virtual learning and did not gain access until January 2021 when schools and the program had worked
through new required protocols for the COVID-19 environment. During that time, the dental sealant team
worked outside the program in COVID-19 response. Despite these limitations, 21 of the schools listed below
were served in FY21. Though many virtual students remained inaccessible, the program screened 645 second
grade students and provided 1,703 dental sealants and 637 fluoride varnish applications.
Data showed 36% of students had untreated dental decay and 8.5% needed urgent dental care. These rates
were higher than the national average. The program also reevaluated 184 third grade students who had seal-
ants placed in the previous school year for retention of sealants.
The School Oral Health Project is a self-sustaining preventive dental program providing screenings, educa-
tion and fluoride varnish to all the grades in seven (7) of the Title 1 schools listed in red and one migrant pro-
gram. It also collaborates with school nurses and community partners to refer participating children needing
urgent dental care. This program also operated on a shortened yearly schedule due to COVID-19. In FY21, the
program provided 709 screenings and 702 fluoride varnish treatments on Pre K–5 th grade children. Fifty-two
(52) urgent dental needs were identified for referral.

Elementary Schools Participating in the Dental Sealant Program in FY21

Barton Elementary K.E. Cunningham/Canal Point Elementary Pleasant City Elementary
Belle Glade Elementary Lake Park Elementary Rolling Green Elementary
Belvedere Elementary Liberty Park Elementary Roosevelt Elementary
Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary Lincoln Elementary Rosenwald Elementary
Forest Park Elementary Meadow Park Elementary (NEW) South Grade Elementary
Glade View Elementary Northmore Elementary Washington Elementary
Gove Elementary Pahokee Elementary West Gate Elementary
Greenacres Elementary Palm Springs Elementary West Riviera Elementary
Highland Elementary Palmetto Elementary Westward Elementary
Hope-Centennial Elementary Pine Grove Elementary Wynnebrook Elementary
Indian Pines Elementary Pioneer Park Elementary

The FHPBC’s “Coordinated Oral Health Access Referral Program” (COHARP) is a case management and re-
ferral program to help school children with acute dental needs. These children were referred from either the
Dental Sealant Program, the School Oral Health Project, RAMS Health Clinic at Palm Beach Lakes Community
High School, or from the school nurses in Palm Beach County schools. Children identified with immediate
dental needs had the ability to be seen for urgent care in one of the FHPBC’s community partner clinics.

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