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Diana Rothweiler, RDH Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation and Smart Start of Henderson County believe that every child should have access to quality medical and dental health services and that every child is entitled to a safe learning environment. To ensure that every child enters school healthy and ready to succeed, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation and Smart Start fund support for the Preventive Dental Program for Henderson County (view our brochure).The program consists of three components described below. For more information about these programs, contact Diana Rothweiler at (828) 694-6067. |
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Preventive Dental Program
Fluoride Varnish
Fluoride varnish is a thick liquid that is painted on the teeth to prevent tooth decay. Through the WIC department at the Henderson County Department of Public Health, fluoride varnish is being offered to children beginning at age six months and continuing every six months until age 41 months old. Fluoride varnish is safe, fast, and easy to apply. At each fluoride varnish/WIC visit, parents receive dental health education while children receive their fluoride varnish application. This combination of education and preventive treatment helps children develop good lifelong dental health habits. Fluoride varnish is an effective treatment to prevent tooth decay in very young children who are at risk for dental decay.
Tooth Time Dental Education Curriculum
Tooth Time, a dental education curriculum for preschool children, is offered to daycare centers to use in the classroom to teach basic oral health concepts to children ages two through five. This program also reaches parents with information that goes home with the children. The curriculum was designed to offer one week of dental lessons and activities for teachers to use as much or as little as necessary each day. However, children will need to be exposed to each dental health topic so that on the overview day, the overall objective will be successfully met. To check out a Tooth Time Kit, teachers will need to receive training on how to teach dental health using the resources found in the kit.The training takes approximately one hour, and day care providers will receive continuing education credit for this training.
Dental Screening and Treatment
This program provides dental screening by the dental hygienist for children ages 2½-kindergarten. Screening is done in daycare centers, elementary schools, homes, and occasionally at the health department in Henderson County.
This program also has funding to help pay for some children who are in need of dental treatment. To be eligible for dental treatment funding, each child must:
- be assessed by the program hygienist,
- live in Henderson County,
- be between ages 2½ and 5 years old, and
- not be receiving NC Medicaid.
Other considerations might also apply. Contact Diana Rothweiler, RDH, at (828) 694-6067 for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do you provide dental education or in-service training on dental health?
A. We can provide dental education to groups such as schools and churches. We can also provide in-service dental health education for staff training. We are also available for community/school events or health fairs.
Q. Are dental resources available to teach dental health?
A. Yes, we provide dental resources that the community may use. Tooth Time is a dental health curriculum for preschoolers ages 2 - 5 who are in daycare. Daycare teachers can check out kits. We can teach dental health and provide resources to schools and community and business groups.
Q. What is fluoride varnish?
A. Fluoride varnish is a thick liquid that is painted on the teeth and is used to prevent tooth decay. Fluoride varnish is the latest and preferred fluoride treatment for young children. It applied to the teeth of children ages 6 months to 41 months at the Henderson County Department of Public Health through the WIC program. See the Smart Start Dental Project to find out more about this program. Contact us to find out if your child qualifies for this service.
Q. Do you offer dental education to pregnant women?
A. Yes, dental education is available for pregnant women at the health department.
For any of the services mentioned above, contact Diana Rothweiler at (828) 694-6067.
Resources
Assistance for Dental Care
Assistance is available for finding dental care. Contact us for a list of dentists who accept N.C. Medicaid or Health Choice or private insurance.
Dental Statistics
Some limited dental statistics are available if needed for program planning. Contact us for more information. Below are other websites that can provide more information.
- American Dental Association
- American Dental Hygienists Association
- Children and Family Resource Center
- NC Oral Health Section
- NC Partnership for Children (Smart Start)
- National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research
- Smart Start of Henderson County
1200 Spartanburg Highway, Suite 100, Hendersonville, NC 28792 • (828) 692-4223
