KFL&A Public Health recommenced our school dental screenings this past fall. We have enhanced the number of grades screened due to the lack of dental screening during the 2020/21 school year. As you know, many families have experienced disruptions to daily routines and health services over the course of the pandemic. There are two trends that we would like to bring to your attention. Firstly, our preliminary findings suggest there is a significant amount of dental decay with a range from 7% to 35% of screened students at our schools showing signs of decay. Furthermore, of those students with decay, the majority have been considered urgent. While we have begun screening in schools with a history of greater decay, these trends are troubling. Dental pain and infection can affect a child’s sleep, concentration, eating and school attendance. Secondly, anecdotally we have heard from parents that their Healthy Smiles Ontario coverage expired and CERB benefits that they received during COVID-19 put them above the income threshold for dental coverage. As such, we have more children without a comprehensive dental plan. However, please note that urgent dental care is available for any student whose family cannot afford dental treatment. School dental screening will resume in February. If you are concerned about any student, we can provide information about what grades are screened at your school, however we can not share individual student findings. Please ask the student’s caregiver to call KFL&A Public Health’s dental team at 613-549-1232 ext. 1218 to access screening or assessment, as well as Healthy Smiles Ontario benefits. We have included some information here about common resources that you might find helpful to utilize or share with students and families. While we do not complete dental screening for secondary students, most of these resources are also relevant for secondary students. Please note that Healthy Smiles Ontario dental coverage is for eligible children and youth ages 17 and under. Please use the links below on our Educator Portal to access our dental resources. For assistance, or to request paper copies, please contact the dental team: 613-549-1232 ext. 1218 or Elise.Decker@kflaph.ca. Quick link to access the educator portal at www.kflaph.ca/educatorportal Login: education Password: educatorKFLA