Dental school to provide free screenings for children

WVU Dental Care will celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month by offering free screenings, fluoride treatments, dental radiographs if indicated, and oral health education to children ages one to 17 from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, in the WVU Pediatric Dentistry Clinic.

Appointments are required, and space is limited. To schedule an appointment for the services, call 304-293-0401.

Gina Graziani, DDS, chair of the department of pediatric dentistry, is looking forward to her first time leading the department on “Give Kids a Smile!” day.

“Access to care in West Virginia is huge barrier for adults, for children, for everyone, healthy and sick. If we can get more people willing to come for an exam and for early intervention, it can help decrease dental disease burden in our children,” Graziani said. “It’s all about prevention and education.”

The Randolph County native and WVU School of Dentistry graduate is a board certified pediatric dentist who completed specialized advanced education to work specifically with children.

“It feels good to come full circle to be on a patient end, student end, and faculty end. It’s an honor to bring change, leadership, and health back home,” Graziani said.

The Pediatric Dentistry clinic is located in Health Sciences Center, adjacent to the WVU Cancer Institute. Click for clinic directions.

“Give Kids a Smile!” is an annual national dental access program of the American Dental Association and the West Virginia Dental Association. Dental and dental hygiene students from the WVU School of Dentistry will perform the care under the supervision of faculty.

“In teaching, I want to educate as many dental students as I can about the importance of oral health in children and early intervention and prevention, so more people are reaching the kids who need us,” Graziani said.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children see a dentist after they get their first baby tooth and no later than their first birthday. An early visit enables a dentist to determine the child’s risk of cavities so that preventive action can be taken to avoid cavities.

Dental students and faculty provide more than $100 worth of services for children during the screening.

The clinicians expect to see 15 children every 45 minutes for 135 patients throughout the day. Participants in past years have ranged from existing patients to children who have never visited a dentist. Children of all needs and levels of care are welcome at the clinic.