Public health dental hygienists conduct in-school dental screenings at no direct cost to families through a DPH funded program. These screenings are conducted from the pre-school through middle school grade levels. Your school nurse will send a consent form home annually and this form must be returned in order to participate in the program (a copy of the consent form is also available below).

The Protecting All Smiles Program is at the Dawe, Gibbons, Hansen, South, and Wilkins Elementary Schools, the Jones Early Childhood Center, and the O'Donnell Middle School.

The mission of this program is to provide important preventative services to children that may not regularly see a dentist. Services include screenings, cleanings, fluoride, sealants against cavities and referral to a local dentist if needed. See below for more information regarding these services.

The screening will not replace a routine dental exam, and no x-rays are taken. The screening does include:

• Inspecting teeth and gums for disease

• Cleaning surfaces of teeth

• Applying fluoride varnish to strengthen teeth

• Seal rough surfaces of back teeth

• Provide good oral hygiene training

• Provide toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss

• Provide dentist office referrals if needed

Your child may already be receiving these services at your own dental office. If so, we encourage you to continue with that care. However, if your child does not have a dentist or does not visit the dentist on a regular basis, this is a wonderful opportunity to help promote oral hygiene and prevent oral disease. 

For further information, please contact your school's nurse.  

You may also visit the Protecting All Smiles Program website for more information.