Partners For Prevention

That’s why we work with health care providers to include oral health care in early childhood visits to the doctor. The program is called Partners for Prevention, and the goal is to prevent cavities for our state’s youngest kids age 5 and under.

Our Registered Dental Hygienists provide oral health care training to a wide range of health care practitioners:

• In primary care medical offices;

• SD Dept. of Health’s community health nurses; and
  

• Medical assisting and nursing students at programs at the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University, Dakota Wesleyan University, and Lake Area Technical Institute.

In addition to general oral health information, these partners in prevention are trained to apply fluoride varnish to kids who may be at high risk of cavities. The quick and easy dental treatment – a liquid painted on teeth – prevents cavities by making tooth enamel stronger.

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood. It’s also nearly 100% preventable. That makes every partner important to make sure kids have healthy smiles.