Successes and Challenges for Oral Health

in Schools

Why work with Schools?• Children and youth population

• Health and learning integrally linked

• Improving graduation rates cost effective ways to reduce health disparities

• When public health and education sectors work together academic achievement and health improves

Helpful Resource

• “How Schools Work & How to Work with Schools: A Primer for Professionals Who Serve Children & Youth”

• National Association of State Boards of Education

Need for Oral Health

• It is estimated that 51 million school hours a year are lost due to oral health issues.

• Discomfort and self consciousness caused by oral health disease interferes with students’ ability to learn.

• Oral health concerns are the most common chronic disease in school aged children.

• School nurses report students seek their help for a wide range of oral health issues– Dental caries– Tooth and oral pain– Problems with oral piercings– Orthodontic concerns

• Forty percent of school nurses report they encounter students who avoid smiling or laughing because of oral health problems.

 

School Nurses play a major rolein Oral Health

• School nurses coordinate oral health education for students, parents and school staff.

• They are a resource for teachers for oral health curricula

• School nurses conduct or facilitate oral health screenings and dental caries prevention programs

• They also assist families in locating and accessing treatment for oral health disease or dental injuries

School Nurse Survey

• 230 school nurses responded

• 60.9% did not provide oral health services

• 23.9% did provide oral health services

• 15.2% “other”

• Majority of the services provided were to elementary students

Who is providing the care?

• Dental Hygienists provided 75% of the care

• Dentists were involved in 25%

• Practitioners were from clinics, public health centers or other oral health programs

Identified Benefits

• Access to preventive care

• Identifying a dental home

• Educate child about oral disease prevention

• Early identification of dental problems

• Increased knowledge by parents about the importance of oral health

Challenges to providing oral health in schools

• Lack of community resources

• Sustainability

• Obtaining parental consent

• Time away from class

• Scheduling issues

• Space limitations

Why not?• Don’t have the resources to add oral

health services

• Don’t have the time

• Lack of support from administration

• Students already have access to care

• Other priorities

What would help?

• More community resources

• More parental support and better communications

• School support including additional staff time

• Better access to oral health providers in the community who will see students with dental needs

Finding Allies in the schools

• School Nurse

• Wellness team or coordinator

• Parents

• Principal

• PTA, PTSA

All it takes is a Champion!

Resources

• NASN and DentaQuest http://www.oralhealthconnections.org

• NASN Oral Health Forum oralhealth@lists.nasn.org

Comprehensive Health & Physical Education

Standards and Prepared Graduate Competencies

Movement Competency & Understanding

Physical & Personal Wellness

Emotional & Social

Wellness

Prevention & Risk

Management

PE• Motor Skills &

Patterns• Movement

Concepts

• Regular Physical Activity

• Health-Enhancing Fitness Level

•Responsible & Respects Self and Others

Both• Safety; Injury

Prevention

CHE

• Healthy Eating• Healthy Relationships;

Sexual & Reproductive Health

• Health Promotion

•Mental, Emotional, & Social Well-being

• Healthy Decisions; ATOD Prevention

• Healthy Relationships;

Violence Prevention

Comprehensive Health Education Standards

Standard: 2. Physical and Personal Wellness in Health - Kindergarten

Concepts and skills students master:

• d. Explain positive outcomes from

• brushing and flossing teeth daily

• e. Demonstrate steps for proper brushing

• and flossing of teeth

Kathleen Patrick RN, MA, NCSN, FNASN

Colorado Department of Education

patrick_k@cde.state.co.us

303-866-6779