From the #deltadentalARFoundation: Tooth decay remains the most common chronic disease among young children, especially in Arkansas, which ranks near the bottom nationally for oral health. 

Yet it’s largely preventable with the right know-how and healthy habits. Thanks to a #communitygrant from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation, the Arkansas Foodbank has launched a pilot program to teach K-12 students how to take good care of their teeth and gums.

The organization has long provided food backpacks to school children who have been identified by school administrators as experiencing chronic hunger on weekends. Filled with nutritious foods and snacks, the packs are distributed each Friday to designated students so they have something to eat at home until they return to the school cafeteria for breakfast on Monday morning.

This spring, thanks to the funding from the Foundation, the backpacks also included one-time dental care kits of toothbrushes, toothpaste, plaque disclosing tablets, educational booklets and a brushing tracker. Another such distribution is planned for the beginning of the fall 2021 semester. In all, about 2,800 students in 33 Arkansas counties are expected to benefit. 

“Many schools have shared their excitement and appreciation for the kits,” says Regina Taylor, the Foodbank’s chief community initiatives officer. “Many students now have greater access to helpful dental health education materials and supplies, especially children who live in households where parents are working to make ends meet.” 

A partnership like this can go a long way toward improving the lifelong health and academic and economic prospects of Arkansas’s youngest residents. 

Is your organization envisioning similar systemic changes? We may be able to help. Please check out our funding opportunities here or contact us via email or phone to learn more.

 

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