What is I-Smile @ School?
Healthy teeth make it possible to learn.
I-Smile @ School provides dental screenings, dental sealants, fluoride varnish, and oral health education for elementary and middle school students. For school aged children, 80-90 percent of tooth decay, or cavities, occur on the chewing surfaces of the molar (back) teeth. Placing dental sealants on these teeth greatly lowers the chance that those teeth will get tooth decay.
Nineteen organizations in Iowa – either county health departments or private, non-profit groups – administer I-Smile @ School locally through contracts with the Iowa Department of Public Health. Participating schools are selected by the Iowa Department of Public Health.
This dental program takes place during the school day, but students miss very little class time. By providing dental services in a school setting, we are better able to reach children with important preventive care. In the end, they will experience fewer cavities, which helps them concentrate on learning instead of mouth pain.