Arkansas City Public Schools are joining with local dentists to provide free dental screenings to pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students in the district.
The screenings will begin in November and a signed permission form is required for each student to participate. Parents can expect to have permission slips soon.
"We are excited to offer this service and are grateful for our county’s dentists for their continued interest in our students and their willingness to provide these screenings," Jacque Arnett, school nurse, said.
Ark City dentist Nicole Rogers said that it is recommended that annual dental screenings be conducted to prevent dental problems and to encourage early dental treatment.
"A dental screening is an inspection of the mouth to see if there are any oral or dental problems," Rogers said. "The most common problems that children have are dental decay, gum disease and improper tooth eruption."
Rogers said that while the screening is very helpful, it does not take the place of an annual or bi-annual examination at the dentist office.
She said a complete dental exam is done at the dentist’s office where X-rays can be taken to detect tooth decay that may be undetectable during a simple screening.
For more information, please contact your child’s school.
