By Mary O’KEEFE

The smiles of students at Cerritos Elementary School are a little brighter after a visit from a mobile dental unit.

This was the first time a Glendale Unified School District School (GUSD) school hosted the free on-site mobile dental care program. The event was hosted by Glendale Unified Community Schools Initiative, and dental specialists were from Kids Community Dental.

The mobile program brought together the dentist and dental hygiene to the students.

“We offered screening and fluoride [treatment],” said Rose d’Amato, coordinator, community schools.

Parents were asked to give consent to procedures like the fluoride treatment.

Regardless, the screening of students took place even if parents opted out of the fluoride treatment.

The program set up units that taught specific types of dental hygiene from what foods are good for dental health to teaching how to floss. But the support did not end when the mobile unit left.

“[Kids Community Dental] gave us a report that summarized the entire [student body that participated],” d’Amato said.

They found that about 20 cases were serious enough to suggest a more detailed dental follow-up. Letters were sent home with every student including those where a follow-up was suggested.

D’Amato added for those parents who do not have dental insurance or are struggling, Kids Community Dental offers low cost ($40) exams.

This was the first mobile outreach and is part of a program that is sponsored by a $7.1 million grant received as part of the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) Implementation Grant to fund community outreach and support at Cerritos, Columbus, Jefferson, Mann and Marshall elementary schools.

The strategy of community schools is to transform a school into a place where educators, local community members, families and students work together to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development. As partners, they organize in- and out-of-school resources, supports and opportunities to meet the unique needs of each community so that young people thrive, according to GUSD.

The district staff is looking forward in the near future to bringing the mobile units to more schools.

For those students and parents that may have missed the Cerritos Elementary program, or have questions, contact d’Amato at rdamato@gusd.net.