Health Department

School – Based Dental Preventative Services

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The purpose of our School-Based Dental Prevention Program is to keep your kids' smiles bright and healthy! In partnership with Knox County Schools and with the consent from parents, we go into schools and place sealants on children's teeth, give oral hygiene education, dental screenings and referrals to dental offices as appropriate.

These services are offered free of charge to all children in grades K - 8 at schools with Title 1 eligibility. Click here for a list of 2024-2025 Target Schools.

All children in these schools will also receive dental education on daily brushing, oral hygiene, nutrition, and dental sealants. They will be given a bag of dental supplies (toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss) to begin practicing good oral hygiene habits at home. See below for some fast facts about children's dental health in the U.S.

• 51 million hours of school absences are due to tooth pain.
• 1 in 5 children have untreated cavities.
• 520 million children suffer from cavities in baby teeth worldwide.
• Once applied, sealants protect against 80 percent of cavities for two years and continue to protect against 50 percent of cavities for up to four years.
• Children ages 6-11 years old without sealants have almost three times more first molar cavities than children with sealants.

Additional Resources

Consent Forms

Please complete this form allowing us to care for your child's teeth!

• Consent Form in English
• Consent Form in Spanish

Letter of Support

Click here to view an endorsement letter from Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk

Learn more about Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) 

Click here to learn more about SDF and the benefits it provides for your child.