The Department of Health and Human Services says it will receive a $1.85 million federal grant aimed at improving dental health.
The funds, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will allow the state's oral health program to continue its school-based approach.That means bringing dental hygienists directly to kids at their school, says Oral Health Program director Hope Saltmarsh.
"Students are coming down to see them and receiving clinical services like fluoride and sealants and preventive services that will help them to have the best oral health we can," Saltmarsh says.
She points to data that show that from 2001 to 2014, the percentage of third graders with untreated dental decay decreased 14 percent.
"They [school-based programs] have done an amazing job of really making a dent in our dental disease for school children," says Saltmarsh.
The funds will also allow the program to promote the benefits of fluoridated drinking water and improve reporting on residents' ability to afford dental care.
