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School-based dental program reports lower unmet dental needs but seeks higher enrollment
Summary
A school-based dental program presenter said 202 students enrolled this year and staff performed "a little over 1,700 individual procedures," noting countywide unmet dental needs fell to 56% from 73% last year; the board discussed outreach and referral partnerships to increase consent-form returns.
Rachel, the school-based dental program representative, told the Jones County Schools board that 202 students enrolled in the program this year and that staff performed "a little over 1,700 individual procedures on them," consisting mostly of preventive care such as cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants.
She said referral rates and unmet needs have improved districtwide: "only overall, at the county, 56 percent of the kids had unmet dental needs where last year, it was 73 percent." She gave school‑level examples, saying Comfort Elementary referrals dropped from about 90% last year to about 64% this year, and noted the state kindergarten decay rate is about 19–20 percent with the region at roughly 23 percent.
Board members and participants asked how the program connects children who require more treatment to brick‑and‑mortar dental offices. Rachel described partnerships with a local practice (Lane and Associates in Maysville), referrals to a pediatric office in Jacksonville, and options to send families to a dental school about an hour away. She also said 92% of enrolled children are Medicaid recipients and that Delta Dental Foundation grants help cover care for uninsured children.
On outreach, Rachel described steps already taken to raise consent returns — DocuSign consents, QR codes sent to families, mandatory placement of forms in school packet folders — and asked the board for suggestions on improving buy‑in from students and parents. A board member suggested setting up the program at back‑to‑school open houses; Rachel said she has tried community events but that the end‑of‑year electronic push showed better early returns.
The board did not take a separate formal vote on the dental program during the discussion; the presentation concluded with appreciation from members for the program's early results and calls to continue expanding partnerships and outreach.
