Project Ready Smile brings oral care to kids

Project Ready Smile brings oral care to kids
Jul. 08, 2008
By ALAN BAVLEY
The Kansas City Star

The 4-year-olds at the Emmanuel Family and Child Development Center in Kansas City line up patiently. Some look curious. Others look apprehensive.

But each takes his turn opening his mouth wide for Robin Zeigler.

Zeigler is a dental hygienist, one of three working for Project Ready Smile, a new program to improve the oral health of thousands of low-income children across the Kansas City area.

Kourie Ervin, in a neatly pressed blue plaid shirt, takes his turn and sits down opposite Zeigler.

ÏThereÌs some breakfast on your teeth,Ó Zeigler says as she gives them a quick brush. With a small flashlight and a disposable mirror, she inspects KourieÌs mouth. Then she paints fluoride varnish on his teeth.

Zeigler will go through this routine of dental screening and fluoride varnish with about 40 more children this day. By the end of the week, she will have seen about 90 infants and preschoolers at the Emmanuel center.

ÏOK, you look great,Ó Zeigler tells Kourie.

KourieÌs verdict on the fluoride?

It tastes Ïnasty.Ó

Project Ready Smile is the brainchild of the REACH Healthcare Foundation and the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City. The two organizations, which fund a variety of local health projects, have committed $500,000 for the first year of the three-year dental program.

Their goal is to reach 4,000 from birth up to age 6 in Jackson, Cass and Lafayette counties in Missouri and Johnson, Wyandotte and Allen counties in Kansas.

The children will get screenings and fluoride treatments twice a year, along with oral health education, at the early childhood education centers and Head Start programs they attend. Twenty centers have signed up to participate so far.

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