Give a child a gift of a healthy, bright smile

To see Carmen now you wouldn’t know that only months earlier she was just beginning to speak, eat better during meal times and shine in the classroom. Carmen was thought to be a quiet young child who was not adjusting well in school.

A Greater Twin Cities United Way Bright Smiles dental outreach worker examined Carmen for potential oral health problems; she found severe tooth decay and abscesses. Preschool staff and their dental clinic partners encouraged Carmen’s parents and grandparents to accompany her at dental appointments, despite their fear of the dentist and concern about costs. Eventually Carmen received the critical treatment she needed through United Way Bright Smiles—a community partnership providing oral healthcare for low-income children ages 5 and under in the Twin Cities metro.

Tooth decay is the single most common, chronic disease among U.S. children – five times more common than asthma. Yet it is completely preventable. Children with untreated decay suffer from pain, infection and premature loss of teeth, which can cause behavioral, learning and developmental problems. Children from families struggling in poverty are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured and less likely to see a dentist. This makes them much more likely to experience tooth decay.

Increasing healthy, preventive behaviors among children is just one goal of Greater Twin Cities United Way’s Agenda for Lasting Change—10 measurable goals aimed at reducing poverty in our community. United Way is ensuring children learn healthy behaviors that can prevent costly, future problems. Bright Smiles partner clinics screen for tooth decay, educate families on the importance of oral health and coordinate further dental care as needed. Since the program start four years ago, Bright Smiles partners have provided dental services for over 12,000 children, most having never seen a dentist before and one-third having no insurance.

Investing in screening and educating about healthy oral health practices prevents costly dental procedures, chronic pain and lost hours of school and work. This benefits far more than the children and families served directly; everyone benefits when kids are healthy and do better in school.