Panhandle Health District

8500 N. Atlas Road

Hayden, Idaho 83835

www2.state.id.us/phd1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:      May 8, 2007                                                              Contact:

                                                                                                                Cynthia Taggart

                                                                                                                Public Information Officer

                                                                                                                (208) 415-5108

                                                                                                                (208) 818-7288 (cell)        

Released by: Jeanne Bock, Director

                                                 Panhandle Health District and dental clinics team for children’s dental health

Panhandle Health District (PHD) and Benewah Medical/Dental Center are preventing tooth decay in the permanent molars of Plummer and DeSmet elementary school children with free dental sealants this spring.

Since April 18th, Dr. James Allen has examined the mouths of kindergarten through sixth-grade students from the Tribal School in DeSmet and second- and third-graders from Lakeside Elementary in Worley. Students with no decay, fillings or prior sealant then visit a dental assistant who applies a plastic protective coating over the children’s first permanent molars.

Assistance making dental appointments is offered for children with decay.

While the children wait to see the dentist, PHD’s Mary Jo Sauber, a dental hygienist, teaches them to brush well and how sugar in their food hurts their teeth.

Benewah Medical Center has dedicated five mornings to the free dental sealant program. The last three are May 9, 16 and 23. Children arrive at the center at 8:30 a.m. and leave at 10 a.m.

“Benewah Medical Center is being very generous,” says Sauber, who coordinated the free program.

Dentists in Kootenai County also are participating in the sealant program. On May 11, Dr. Edward Lowry in Coeur d’Alene is donating his office and staff and Dr. Stan Rasmussen is donating his staff to work with several volunteer dental hygienists to seal the molars of 82 second-grade students from Borah Elementary. The program is open only to schools at which more than half the students qualify for free and reduced lunch.

On May 18, Dr. Marty Hann in Hayden will offer his office, staff and time to work with volunteer dental hygienists and dental hygiene students from Eastern Washington University to seal the molars of 85 Sorensen Elementary students.

Both Kootenai County programs will start at 9 a.m.

The Coeur d’Alene Kiwanis Club and the Caring Foundation are helping pay for supplies for the free sealant program.