ioga County Department of Health’s Dental Program served the children of Nathan T. Hall Elementary School in Newark Valley recently with a new Fluoride Varnish Program.
Thanks to support from the Floyd Hooker Foundation, the Tioga County Department of Health (TCDOH) has partnered with Tioga County schools, Head Start and WIC to provide fluoride varnish applications to the children of Tioga County. Children who participate receive two fluoride varnish applications (three months apart), dental education and a cool tooth brushing kit. The appointments take only a few minutes and require parent or guardian consent.
Fluoride varnish is a sticky substance that quickly hardens when brushed onto the teeth. The varnish has a fruit flavor and the process is pain-free. Fluoride varnish is shown to reduce dental cavities by up to 38 percent.
The Fluoride Varnish Program is free and available to all children in Tioga County preschools and elementary schools. In addition to Newark Valley Elementary, TCDOH has served Spencer Van Etten, Owego and Apalachin Elementary schools. Waverly Elementary is scheduled for mid-January. So far this school year, 330 children have received fluoride varnish.
The Fluoride Varnish Program is staffed by TCDOH Mobile Dental Program. The Dental Van is a full service program, providing routine dental care such as cleanings, sealants, x-rays, fillings and extractions. The TCDOH dental program provides services for children and adults, with and without insurance. If you would like more information about the Dental Van or the Fluoride Varnish Program, call Sue Medina at (607) 687-8595.
