A School Dental Hygienist's duties include:

• Performs the Pennsylvania State mandated dental screenings.
• Organizes and operates the school fluoride supplement  & dental sealant program.
• Provides classroom dental health education grades 1-8.
• With parental permission, provides preventative services to students within the school setting to  include dental cleaning, fluoride varnish treatments, dental sealants, silver diamine fluoride treatment.
• Acts as a liaison to link families with community dental health professionals and resources for dental care.

What preparation does a school dental hygienist need?

• A Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) license to practice dental hygiene. This license is granted by the Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry.
• A baccalaureate or master degree from an accredited college or university.
• School Dental Hygienist Certification through the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
• A Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner license to perform preventive services.

Who is the West Shore School District's dental hygienist?

The District dental hygienist is Ms. Donna Murray ([email protected]).

• All children should see the dentist with the eruption of 1^st tooth or by age one?
• Children with disabilities often have other health impairments which put them at a higher risk of dental problems. Therefore, may need to see a dentist more often than every six months.
• Poor oral health impacts diabetes, heart health, and auto immune diseases like celiac, lupus
• Poor oral health impacts school performance
• Poor oral health impacts confidence and mental health
• The inverse is also true. For example, respiratory diseases like asthma increases risk of cavities

• Dental sealants are clear or tooth-colored coatings that fill the grooves of back permanent teeth (molars) to keep out food and germs that cause cavities. 

• The procedure is done with sterile instruments, equipment, masks, gloves.  No drills, no numbing. 

• Teeth simply are wiped clean; a thin coating is painted on the tooth surfaces and dries resembling a white filling.

• No eating or drinking restrictions after placement.