Educate

Do you work in Spokane County elementary schools or know partners who do? The 2023 Smile Survey is making significant progress across the state. We need Spokane County schools randomly selected for the survey to participate. With your help, we can make sure 2nd and 3rd-grade students from our area are represented.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is a national resource with guidelines and practices regarding oral health. The CDC’s Division of Oral Health (DOH) provides leadership to improve the nation’s oral health. They promote proven interventions, including community water fluoridation and dental sealants, to reduce the rate of cavities, especially for populations with the highest risk.

The Mighty Mouth is an educational campaign launched throughout Washington State to help people understand that oral disease can be prevented. Its mission is to build social norms around the benefits of preventing oral disease and to deliver the message that oral health is essential to overall health.

The Campaign for Dental Health (CDH) is a coalition of organizations that support prevention. The CDH was created to ensure that people of all ages have access to the most effective, affordable, and equitable way to protect teeth from decay — community water fluoridation. The coalition and its website are managed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Improving Seniors Oral Health is an initiative of the Arcora Foundation. This website, sponsored by Arcora Foundation, gives you valuable information and resources to maintain a healthy mouth, teeth, and gums – to live a healthier life as the years go by.

The Spokane Regional Health District Oral Health Program assists individuals and families needing dental services. For those without access to dental insurance, covering the costs of dental visits can be much harder and may result in a decision to avoid going to the dentist. There are cost-saving options available for those seeking assistance with dental health care.

This toolkit from the American Academy of Pediatrics contains materials for patient outreach and education around oral health and clinical resources to help integrate oral health into your practice. The toolkit has four waiting room posters, three infographics, one brochure, dental referral forms, a conversation guide, an oral health screener, and an integration workflow.

Community water fluoridation is an American standard and one of our top achievements in public health because of its ability to prevent tooth decay in children and improve the oral health of people of all ages. Water Fluoridation for a Healthy Washington has resources and information on water fluoridation.