Classy Smiles, Inc. was formed as a not-for-profit corporation to improve access for oral screenings and preventative dental services within the school system for those children who do not qualify under the Medicaid school-based program. These children come from families that cannot afford to pay for services at private dental offices. The management of Classy Smiles, Inc. feels that is has developed a plan to solve this ongoing problem. It has adopted the tried and tested South Carolina Dental Screening Associates, LLP model of providing portable dentistry in the schools with the added feature of having Classy Smiles, Inc. deliver the same services in the not-for-profit realm. Funding will come from grants, donations and contributions from outside sources. As it stands right now, multiple children in the forty-eight schools visited by South Carolina Dental Screening Associates, LLP in the course of the school year did not have coverage and were not able to receive preventative services. Hopefully, this will not be a concern in the future.
The purpose of Classy Smiles, Inc. is to improve the oral health status of disadvantage children in South Carolina through a school-based dental prevention program that will emphasize oral health education and preventative dental serives. Access and referrals to dental homes for emergency and other needed dental care, community outreach, and follow up services in an atmosphere that downplays socio-economic status by creating an atmosphere of equality for all concerned.
By providing screenings, dental cleanings, protective fluoride treatments, and pit and fissure dental sealant services to less fortunate children within the school setting, the proportion of children, adolescents and young adults who have dental decay experience in their primary and permanent teeth will be reduced. The reduction of untreated dental decay is accomplished through the time tested positive effect of dental sealants placed on permanent molar teeth.
Classy Smiles, Inc., through its presence in South Carolina schools will strive to overcome the major barriers to achieving good oral health by removing those socio-economic factors that are directly involved in this process. The barriers are: lack of dental coverage, the inability to directly pay for dental services received, and access problems including a lack of transportation to get a child to the dental office. Although dental decay is preventable, it remains the most common chronic childhood affliction. Tooth decay can lead to pain and suffering that may affect eating, speaking, and the ability of children to pay attention to learning. According to Dr. Doyle Williams, Chief Dental Officer, Doral Dental Management, Each year 51 million school hours are lost due to decay and the pain and suffering it causes if left untreated. Source: Todays Health, NBC-TV, February 4, 2008
Classy Smiles, Inc. decided on its objective when it became abundantly clear that school-age children who exhibited the most need were being denied access to preventative services because of economic concerns. By eliminating these concerns, the children will be able to receive the benefits of this vitally important oral health program. As it stands right now, multiple children in the school system will not be able to receive preventative dental services because they are not covered by Medicaid and yet are economically disadvantaged. For the coming school year, it is hoped that we will be in a position to provide screenings and dental prevention services to every single child we encounter that would otherwise be excluded from this program.
Progress is measured by evaluating what dental preventative services have been provided to this group of children at the end of each school year. The report to be used will be the same format as the one that is used to report progress to DHEC. The use of dental sealants and fluoride varnish or other fluoride applications can significantly reduce the spread of dental decay. Since it is an established fact that placing sealants on the most decay-prone teeth, first and second pemanent molars, is the best way to prevent decay from forming. This will be the backbone of our program. It is hoped that in subsequent years, we will be able to measure the success of our efforts by checking these same children for sealant retention and prevention of dental decay.
Classy Smiles, Inc. was officially incorporated by the State of South Carolina on February 23, 2010, registered with the Office of the Secretary of State on April 24, 2010 as a charitable organization, and as of December 9, 2010 we received our approvd IRS declaration for our 501(C)3 status.
We are currently working with United Way of Horry County as an agency partner and have completed our first fiscal year. Classy Smiles, Inc. has provided a multitude of services to disadvantaged children thanks to United Way of Horry County. Other fundraising activities are int he planning stages and therefore have not yet generated support. Although we follow the School-Based Dental Prevention Program (SDPP) guidelines and it is a State and Federal Program, there are no supporting funds provided by either agency. Classy Smiles, Inc. is focused on the children without coverage who deserve the same oral health benefits.