Project puts bite on tooth decay

When elementary-school children in Terrell, Texas, flash their pearly whites, their parents can thank Kiwanis. The Terrell Kiwanis club coordinates a dental health awareness project that targets about 2,500 second- through sixth-grade children at three schools. The club provides toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, and dental education, as well as periodic checkups during visits to each school by the Baylor University College of Dentistry’s “Seal Mobile.”

“Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease,” notes Kiwanian Margaret Davis, explaining why her club promotes dental health. “Five times as many children suffer from tooth decay than from asthma, and dental problems are a major reason for school absences.”

Dental supplies are obtained from Baylor University and private donations. Members of the K-Kids clubs at the three schools—John F. Kennedy and Langworth elementary schools and Wood Intermediate School—spend a portion of their monthly meetings putting together packets of the supplies for distribution to students.

Part-time students and faculty members staff Baylor’s Seal Mobile, which visits each school twice a year. Terrell-area dentists also volunteer their time. They offer preventive dental care, such as sealants and fluoride treatment to children who need them. No children are ever turned away.