Kenosha Community Health Center to Kickoff the Seal-A-Smile Program at Kenosha Unified School District and Kenosha County Schools
Kenosha County will continue to take significant steps forward in children’s oral health, thanks to the collective efforts of Kenosha Community Health Center (KCHC) and the Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin (CHAW). This alliance marks the start of the Seal-A-Smile program in 25 Kenosha Unified School District and Kenosha County Schools for the academic year 2024-2025.
About Seal-A-Smile
The Seal-A-Smile initiative is a state-sponsored children’s oral health prevention program that aims to directly deliver dental prevention services to students in public elementary schools. With many children in Kenosha County having limited access to dental care, the program fills a substantial gap, providing prevention, hygiene, and vital oral health education services. It’s particularly geared towards students from kindergarten through fifth grade, ensuring these pivotal services are available free of charge to families. This year, initiative has been taken to expand the program to children in middle-school.
The KCHC Seal-A-Smile program reaches schools including Bose Elementary, Brass Community, Bristol District #1, Curtis A. Strange Elementary, the Kenosha School of Language and Art, Forest Park Elementary, Frank Elementary, Grant Elementary, Grewenow Elementary, Harvey Elementary, Jeffery Elementary, Kenosha School of Technology Enhanced Curriculum (KTEC), Lakewood School Twin Lakes #4 District, Roosevelt Elementary, Riverview School, Salem School, Somers Elementary, Southport Elementary, and Trevor-Wilmot Consolidated Grade School District.
The Team Behind the Cause
Pivotal to the program’s success are dental hygienists, Connie Bevry, RDH, and Lacie Dobyns, RDH. Their on-site contributions in local schools and the leadership of Program Coordinator, Jennifer Luna, DA have been nothing short of outstanding.
“This program offers invaluable insight for parents into potential dental issues which might go unnoticed,” commented Connie Bevry, RDH. Dobyns, echoing similar sentiments, emphasized the program’s importance: “By providing free exams and eliminating barriers by treating kids where they are, we make it easier for parents to prioritize their child’s dental health. Applying sealants to high-risk children is pivotal in preventing decay and thereby elevating the overall health of our youth.”
Both Dobyns and Bevry are relentless in their mission – to cater to each patient’s unique needs, instilling positive habits for better oral health. “The Seal-A-Smile program not only aids dental health but also introduces children to dentistry, ensuring they acquire the knowledge to maintain their best oral health,” stated Dobyns.
A MOMENT OF PRIDE
The KCHC Seal-A-Smile Program, was recognized in 2024 for excellence in the following areas:
- Increasing the number of students served from the previous year;
- Increasing the number of schools served from the previous year; and
- Increasing the percentage of children receiving dental sealants from the previous year.
For further details on KCHC’s Seal-A-Smile program, interested parties are encouraged to reach out to Jennifer Luna, SAS Program Coordinator at 262-771-1688. The program for the new school year began the first week of October and features two additional dental hygienists.
Do not wait to schedule your appointment.
Kenosha Community Health Center has many appointment options in Kenosha and Silver Lake to meet your needs.
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