JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
National Children’s Dental Health Month is a health observance held every February to bring together dedicated professionals, health care providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children.
Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston dentists, U.S. Army Capts. Paul Gilroy, Paul Park and Carolina Wentworth, and U.S. Navy Lt. Thuyvi Truong, did their part to promote oral health by providing free dental exams to Fort Sam Houston Elementary School students Feb. 25. Navy and Army dental staff members also discussed good oral hygiene and healthy eating habits with students.
Cavities are one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Untreated cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t.”
This is why it is important to ensure children have a proper diet and brush their teeth twice a day.
Dentists saw 788 students from 41 classrooms during this year’s event, and thousands have been seen since the school’s first dental health month screenings in 1983.
For some students, it was their first experience with a dentist, and Wentworth said those first impressions matter to future oral health.
“It is important for children to have a dental home where they feel comfortable with their dentist early in life,” she said. “Prevention of oral disease is one of the most important tools we can offer our children.”
Staff members at the school also appreciated the dentists taking the time to care for their students.
“Our DENTAC visit was a positive event for our campus,” said Jacob Ockerman, physical education teacher at Fort Sam Houston Elementary. “The students enjoyed learning about dental health and hygiene, and the dental screenings provided parents with helpful recommendations for further dental work.”