Lewis County Public Health discontinuing dental education program

 The Lewis County Public Health Agency plans to discontinue a dental education program in schools at the end of the year, citing difficulty in tracking its effectiveness.

However, Mary Frances Waligory, who has overseen the program for the past 15 years, hopes to keep it going in some fashion.

“I am looking at things, but nothing concrete,” Mrs. Waligory said.

The long-time dental hygienist said she speaks with roughly 2,000 children each year at the county’s preschools and elementary schools, providing the basics of dental hygiene and handing out a toothbrush to each student. The program costs $5,000 annually for salary and supplies, she said.

Mrs. Waligory has sent letters out to the schools and other agencies to see if they could help keep the program going, either financially or requesting the county continue funding it. She is also seeking possible grant funding, although that is a new experience for her.

“I’m 72 years old, and I’ve never dealt with a grant,” she said.

Mrs. Waligory said she is also taking money out of her own pocket to ensure she is able to complete her rounds for the year, which she expects to complete this week.

“There is concern in the community, the school systems and the dental professions that a real need exists for preventative education,” she wrote in the letter. “So many children in the county need dental treatment. For many of them, this is the only exposure they have on proper dental hygiene.”

With cavity rates among third-graders higher than most other counties in the state, there is certainly a need for dental health attention, said Penny A. Ingham, the county’s public health director.

However, public health agencies nationwide are moving toward programs in which outcomes can be tracked, Mrs. Ingham said. “We have to show they are evidence-based programs,” she said.

And the dental education program, which is funded by county money with some state reimbursement, has some anecdotal evidence of positive results but is not evidence-based, Mrs. Ingham said.

The intent is to move resources to programs that will lower cavity rates, possibly through increasing access to early dental care, and regional dental initiatives for the tri-county area are being discussed, she said.

Despite the defunding, Mrs. Ingham said the education program likely is helpful and she would encourage interested schools or child care centers to consider continuing it at their own expense.

Source: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/news04/lewis-county-public-health-discontinuing-dental-education-program-20151118

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