Our dental team visits elementary schools in Brantford and Brant County every year to check up on students’ oral health in accordance with the Oral Health Protocol, 2018 and the Health Protection and Promotion Act, Regulation 570. Prior to the screenings, letters are sent home to the parents/guardians of those students in the grades being screened – depending on the school, this could include JK, SK, Grade 2, Grade 4 and Grade 7.
What?
- The screening is a quick look in your child’s mouth by a Registered Dental Hygienist using a dental mirror.
- A different sterilized mirror is used for each child. The hygienist will be wearing masks and practicing appropriate hand hygiene between each child.
- Our school screenings do not replace any needed visits with your family dentist – If you have a current concern about your child’s mouth please follow up with a dentist, do not wait for the school screening visit.
Why?
- The screening is to let you and your child know if there is any concern that may indicate a dental problem that could require a follow up visit to the dentist.
- Public health will help to cover the cost of the dental visits if needed.
- These school screening visits allow public health to collect data on the dental health of each school.
What happens next?
- Every child screened will receive a “report card” from the dental hygienist to communicate the findings.
- If the screening identifies a concern that could indicate a dental problem, the report card will outline the appropriate next steps.
It is very important that your child be part of the school dental screening program, however, if you do not wish for your child to take part in a scheduled dental screening clinic at your child’s school, there is a process for opting out – please click here to access the opt-out form.
If your child is home-schooled but you would still like to access the dental screening, this can be scheduled at the Brant County Health Unit.
Please contact the Brant County Health Unit Dental Program at 519-753-4937 ext. 450 or dental@bchu.org with any questions or concerns.
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