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Kansas Coordinated School Oral Health Guidelines

Children learn best when they are healthy, and yet one of the most overlooked and most important ingredients is oral health. Oral health includes the natural development of children’s teeth and gums from primary to permanent teeth as well as the more obvious freedom from dental decay, broken and missing teeth, and unsightly smiles. Poor oral health can lead to failure to thrive, inability to concentrate and learn because of pain, misbehavior and infections that can lead to absences, severe systemic illnesses and even death.

Families and children play the most important role in maintaining good oral health right from the start. They must implement a wide range of preventive measures: thorough daily toothbrushing, flossing, mouth rinses, and drinking fluoridated water, as well as having a teeth healthy diet and eating habits. This also includes mouth guards during sports, age-appropriate car seats and seat belts, and tobacco-free lifestyles.

Dental professionals – dentists and hygienists – also have an essential job. Families must ensure children have age-appropriate, consistent professional dental care which can include -- thorough assessments, fluoride varnish applications, prophylaxis (professional removal of stains and debris), sealants, and education on ways to maintain good oral health.

State agencies and associations are highly involved in school oral health programs. They include but are not limited to Office of Oral Health/KDHE, Oral Health Kansas, the state coalition, Kansas Dental Association, Kansas Dental Hygienists’ Association, Kansas Action for Children, Kansas Head Start Association, and Kansas Coordinated School Health/KDHE & KSDE. Each has an essential function in supporting the vision of cavity-free children. Here are some of the accomplishments achieved to date: grants that fund the implementation statewide programs, research of school dental screening activities, new legislation and policies, school-based dental hygienist programs, and a statewide coalition that continues to address students’ oral health opportunities and needs.

Schools – from preschools to high schools – also have a responsibility to support students’ oral health. Some actions are basic to healthy schools: This means incorporating oral health in school wellness plans, based on the needs of students, their families and the community. It also means ensuring that all students have a dental screening before the start of school to identify those who have urgent needs for dental care. Other strategies include integrating oral health into classroom curricula for all ages of students, making sure that students in sports have mouth guards, and incorporating the dental profession into student career development programs.

Kansas Pre-K – 12 Coordinated School Oral Health Guidelines are designed to support school districts who want to support students’ oral health. It’s important to remember that they are only guidelines, offering ideas built around evidenced-based dental practices that can be tailored to fit the school and students’ needs. The guidelines provide background information, strategies for getting started, plus recommendations for policies, services, and curricula activities. Each has its own section to make it easy to navigate.

1) Letter to Champions for Better Health for Students

This letter addresses those who are school health champions – families, students, community dental and medical professionals, school boards, superintendents and district administrators, principals, nurses, guidance counselors, coaches, and most important, teachers. It provides them with basic facts about the students’ risks when they have poor oral health. It also summarizes what Kansas organizations are doing to improve students’ oral health. The second page suggests questions and activities to jump-start a dialogue with school administrators and wellness committees about ways to increase the district’s support for integrating oral health into all aspects of the schools.

2) Introduction to Coordinated School Oral Health Program

This one-page document describes the content of the school oral health program and lists the 17 oral health subjects students need to learn to ensure a lifetime of optimum oral health.

3) Kansas Pre-K – 12 Coordinated School Oral Health Policy Guidelines

This document suggests opportunities that school board members, administrators and wellness committees can explore as basic, advanced and exemplary strategies to raise awareness, knowledge and skills of staff and students to improve students’ oral health.

The strategies encompass the eight components of coordinated school health programs: health education, healthy school environment, counseling, psychological & guidance, family and community involvement, health services, physical education, worksite wellness for staff, and nutrition services.

4) Oral Health Education Guidelines for Classroom Teachers

This document provides a grid for administrators and classroom teachers to determine age-appropriate oral health topics. These can be incorporated into the daily curricula, featured as special topics to highlight oral health, and incorporated into students’ at home assignments.

5) Early Childhood and School Oral Health Curricula and Resources

Classroom teachers and school nurses have several excellent curricula to infuse oral health topics into students’ study. The topic need not be limited to health and life skills. Oral health can be integrated into science, math, foreign languages, career development, language and literature. In addition, many curricula include materials for families, even some in Spanish. Finally, oral health content spans all ages – preschool to high school.

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