As the nation's eleventh largest school district, Dallas Independent School District serves more than 160,000 students who come from homes where 58 different languages are spoken. Operating with a $1 billion dollar budget, DISD employs 18,613 employees including 10,000 teachers in 220 schools.
9 Mar 2001
More than 40 dental students and faculty members from Baylor College of Dentistry will spend the day at Charles Rice Learning Center teaching children how to take care of their teeth. The all-day dental clinic is today (Friday, March 9), and starts at 9 a.m. Sixty-three prescreened second- and third-graders will receive dental sealants. Sealants are made of clear or shaded plastic and are painted on the chewing surfaces of decay-prone molars to protect against cavities.
Students in 42 classes will learn about oral health and will be guided one-on-one through the process of proper brushing and flossing.
Dental health problems are particularly prevalent among students in urban school districts. For instance, according to the 1999-2001 Annual Health Services Report, of the 32,201 students screened for dental health, nearly 4,200 were referred for dental services. Only 1,232 of those referred actually received care.
Each student will receive a goody bag filled with a toothbrush and other dental-related items.
The oral health education program is coordinated in conjunction with the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance. The school is located at 2425 Pine Street. (MAPSCO key 46Y).
For more information, call Lori L. Dees at 214-828-8214 at Baylor College of Dentistry.