Post written by Courtney Kohler, Missouri CAN Program Director

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay is one of the most common conditions of childhood in the United States.  Untreated, this can cause pain and infections, which leads to difficulty eating, speaking, playing, and learning.  The percentage of children and adolescents with untreated tooth decay is twice as high for those from low-income families (25%) compared with children from higher-income households (11%).1

For this reason, Economic Security Corporation – Head Start has built a collaborative partnership for the last 5 years with Access Dental Care.  Access has provided the Head Start program with education classes, fluoride varnish clinics, and dental exam clinics.

Access Dental Care has given approximately $15,000 worth of time and supplies to the Head Start program just this year.  Furthermore, 510 low-income children in Barton, Jasper, Newton, and McDonald counties received a fluoride varnish application from Access Dental Care in the past year.  Fluoride varnish applications provide a 21% reduction in decay.  59 of the 510 had decay and received treatment services.  Without this partnership the children would not have received this care.  The uninsured population in the 4-county service area is higher than the state and national average, resulting in a barrier to obtaining dental services through traditional means.

With Access Family and Dental Care being the Federally Qualified Health Center in Jasper County, the un-insured and under-insured are guaranteed quality care.  Access employs high caliber providers and staff to assure the overall health of clients and communities they serve.