Oregon dental clinics given grants to help children
Two dental clinics in Oregon have been awarded grants to help fund children’s dental health programmes.
The Mercy Foundation and the Umpqua Community Health Center (UCHC) have been awarded $200,000 to fund schemes which will focus on improving standards of oral health amongst young children. The grants have been given to the clinics by the Oregon Community Foundation.
The Umpaqua Community Health Center will use the money to provide preventative dental treatments for children aged between six and twelve years old; children will be given fluoride varnish and sealant treatments. The centre will also put some of the money towards providing children with oral hygiene products; a trailed filled with dental equipment will visit local schools and staff from the centre will teach children about the importance of good oral hygiene and show them how to brush their teeth properly.
Linda Mullins, chief executive officer at UCHC, said that the new scheme would enable children to look after their own teeth and gums, which will help to reduce the cost of treating dental health problems further down the line. The preventative treatments, including fluoride varnish and sealant treatments help to strengthen the teeth and make them more resistant to decay.
The Mercy Foundation will also use money to provide dental treatment for underprivileged children in the area. Numerous surveys and studies have revealed that standards of oral health amongst young children are declining and tooth decay is now the most common health problems amongst children.
The grants awarded to the two Oregon clinics will help to improve access to affordable dental care for local children.
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