Delta Dental Cavity Prevention Clinics Provide Free Dental Care to Oklahoma City Public School Students | Health

Oklahoma City – Delta Dental of Oklahoma (DDOK) and its Foundation, the state’s leading contributors to dental health and education-related initiatives, recently brought their portable Cavity Prevention Clinics to Calvin Coolidge and Martin Van Buren Elementary Schools in the Oklahoma City Public School District.

A total of 79 second graders at Coolidge Elementary received oral health education and brush kits, and 27 students received dental assessments, fluoride varnish and/or sealants at the Cavity Prevention Clinic.

DDOK also visited Van Buren Elementary, providing 58 second graders with oral health education and brush kits and 30 students with preventive dental care.

These combined services, valued at $13,497, were provided completely free of cost to the students and the schools.

“As we close out 2024, we’re equipping Oklahoma’s children with healthy smiles for the new year,” said Terrisa Singleton, director of the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation.

“In addition to providing at-school preventive care, our clinics connect children to a local dentist for follow-up and ongoing care while reminding parents of the importance of regular dental check-ups. Preventive care and education give students the tools to build healthy, sustainable habits.”

Cavities, or tooth decay, are among the most common preventable diseases, often beginning in childhood. Sealants protect the chewing surfaces of molars, where most cavities occur.

The DDOK Foundation’s Cavity Prevention Clinic program aims to eliminate barriers to essential dental care for Oklahoma students. Clinics serve Oklahoma public schools where at least 70 percent of the children enrolled participate in the Federal Free and Reduced Meal program.

These dental services are offered to second- and sixth-grade students across the state, regardless of income or insurance status and at no charge to the school or families. Every student is provided with a dental assessment and receives a brush kit.

The Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation (DDOKFoundation.org ) is Oklahoma’s largest contributor to dental health and education-related initiatives that support children’s oral health. In addition to initiatives like Cavity Prevention Clinics, the Foundation also provides free dental education programs, such as Captain Supertooth and MouthScience kits, to schools across the state. Furthermore, the Foundation is a significant funder of philanthropic dental, including the Oklahoma University College of Dentistry, through clinic funding, scholarships and student research stipends.

For over 50 years, Delta Dental of Oklahoma (DeltaDentalOK.org/CoversMe ) the leading provider of dental benefits in the state, has prioritized and advanced the oral health of millions of Oklahomans. Delta Dental of Oklahoma (DDOK) serves more than one million eligible members and more than 9,300 Oklahoma-headquartered companies. Delta Dental of Oklahoma offers Individual and Family benefit plans designed to meet the needs of Oklahomans outside the workplace.

DDOK established its Foundation in 1998 to advance the company’s not-for-profit mission to improve the oral health of all Oklahomans. In addition to its free dental care resources, the charitable organization provides grants and funds to free and low-cost clinics, awards scholarships to dental students and proactively educates thousands of elementary children from across the state about proper oral hygiene and dental disease prevention.