Turners Falls, MA – March, 2025 – Preschoolers at the Central Street Head Start program received essential dental care this week as part of a two-day partnership between the Community Health Center of Franklin County and J&S Smile Pros. The initiative, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, provided a variety of free dental services, including teeth cleanings, fluoride treatments, tooth sealants, and X-rays to children regardless of their families’ insurance status.
The Community Health Center has established a collaboration with local schools and preschools across Franklin County and the North Quabbin region, with the help of J&S Smile Pros’ mobile dental clinic. This initiative, known as “Dental Days,” aims to make dental care accessible to young children who might otherwise go without it. Shannan Beaton, compliance and business manager for the Community Health Center, explained that the partnership helps cover 17 local schools and is poised to continue its support with J&S Smile Pros in the future.
The mobile clinic, which was set up in an upstairs room of the Head Start building, included child-friendly touches such as pink lawn chairs and stuffed animals to create a welcoming and familiar environment for the children. The clinic staff, including dental hygienists Jennifer Hauschild and Sarie Whitehouse, worked to ensure the children felt comfortable and at ease throughout their visits.
Hauschild emphasized the importance of creating a friendly, low-stress environment for children, especially those experiencing their first dental visit. She shared that seeing other children receive treatment helps reduce fear and increase cooperation. This hands-on experience, Hauschild noted, fosters lifelong healthy dental habits at an early age.
The program also aims to address disparities in pediatric dental care, particularly for children from lower-income households. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), access to dental care can be uneven, with factors like race, sex, and poverty status influencing the availability of care. This initiative, which includes dental sealant programs to prevent cavities, plays a vital role in reducing those disparities.
By bringing dental services directly to local schools, the mobile clinic alleviates the need for parents to travel long distances. Parents of children who participate in the program receive documentation of the treatments their child received, along with resources for ongoing dental care and tips for maintaining oral health at home.
As part of February’s Children’s Oral Health Month, the partnership’s timing couldn’t have been more ideal, according to Community Action Head Start and Early Learning Programs Health Manager Jenn Guetti Slocum. She stressed the importance of dental health for children as young as one, emphasizing the need for families to ensure their children are seen by a dentist regularly.
“Oral health is really important, even starting from kids that are age 1 on through preschool,” Guetti Slocum said. “We really want to support our families in making sure that their children are seen at least every six months.”
This regional collaboration not only improves the health of children but also makes dental care more accessible to families, fostering a foundation for better oral health for years to come.
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