Feb. 25, 2016

Florida Receives 70,000 in Grants To Expand School-Based Dental Sealant Programs

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Communications Office
NewsMedia@flhealth.gov
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Tallahassee, Fla. - The Florida Department of Health is expanding School-Based Sealant Programs in Seminole and Hernando counties with new grant funding from the Renaissance Family Foundation. Every $1 Florida invests on dental sealants saves $1.88 in fillings.

“Dental sealants are a proven answer for preventing adolescent tooth decay,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “This investment ensures more children in our state have access to effective dental care so they can achieve their full potential.”

School-Based Sealant Programs offer preventive dental services in Title I schools at no cost to schools, parents or children. The Public Health Dental Program facilitated grant funding for the two new programs through the Renaissance Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to improve the oral and overall health and well-being of children and their families. The Foundation has provided $25,000 for Hernando County and $45,000 for Seminole County to purchase portable equipment and dental supplies.

Tooth decay affects approximately 1 in 5 children in Florida and is the single most common chronic condition affecting children in the United States. Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the grooves on the chewing surfaces of molar teeth and are 86 percent effective in preventing tooth decay.

Left untreated, dental decay can result in:

• Infection, pain, inadequate tooth function and tooth loss;
• Impaired nutrition and inadequate speech development;
• Costly emergency department visits; or
• Poor school performance.

These new School-Based Sealant Programs will help these counties make strides toward eliminating barriers in access to dental care for local children.

To learn more about the Public Health Dental Program visit: https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/community-health/dental-health/index.html.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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