Event highlights children's need for dental care

On Friday, April 1, an estimated 20 children from Putnam County families will be able to receive free dental services ranging from dental screenings and cleanings to sealants and fillings or more as part of the national Give Kids a Smile Day.

Give Kids a Smile is normally scheduled nationally during Children's Dental Health Month in February. The Putnam County date is scheduled to be less dependent on the potential for bad weather during the month of February.

The Give Kids a Smile program was inaugurated in 2003 by the American Dental Association (ADA) to provide care and raise awareness of the importance of access to dental care for low-income children.

Dr. John Hennette and the staff of Greencastle Pediatric Dentistry will be donating their services for the 13th year.

Hennette and his staff will be working closely with the Putnam County school nursing staffs to provide needed dental care for eligible children ages 4-16. Only children who have been screened by the county school nursing staffs will be eligible for the available spaces.

Dental cavities (caries) are present in more than 60 percent of all children by age five. Recently, it has been reported that preschool children are seeing an increase in the percentage and severity of this disease process. It is a disease that is five times more common than asthma. It has been ranked as the most common reason for absenteeism from work or from school.

"Putnam County children are not immune from this disease process," Dr. Hennette stressed. "I have been involved with cases where the children are no longer able to sleep, eat or focus in school and have reached the point where the only alternative is a mouth full of fillings, crowns or the extracting of teeth that cannot be saved."

Dr. Hennette and his staff hope to continue to make good oral health a priority for all children in the community. They seek to educate policymakers and parents that good oral hygiene, diet and drink restrictions and routine dental follow-up visits are integral to overall health and preventive measures like fluoridation and sealants result in long term savings for families.

If any families in the Putnam County area would like more information regarding this program, they are urged to contact their school nursing staff. Space is limited.