KSOHP

KinderSmile Oral Health Program

What is KSOHP?

KinderSmile Oral Health Program (KSOHP) is the flagship program of our nonprofit foundation. With values of education, intervention, and prevention as methods to combat oral health care inequity, KSOHP increases access to oral health care for underserved children, regardless of insurance status, by bringing dental care to schools or community centers at no cost to caretakers.

With parental consent, offsite visits in schools include oral health education, nutritional counseling, dental exams, caries risk assessment, prophylaxis (dental cleaning), topical fluoride treatments, and sealants where appropriate. KSOHP crucially links children to a permanent barrier-free Dental Home at KinderSmile Community Oral Health Centers Bloomfield, Newark, or Trenton, where they are scheduled for follow-up visits and continuity of care.

The oral health education component of KSOHP is developed by KinderSmile Foundation in conjunction with the existing curricula used by the participating programs to be age-appropriate, engaging, and long-lasting in developmental impact. Education provided to children, parents and caregivers addresses the importance of early intervention and prevention, the practice of oral hygiene routines in school and at home, the importance of periodic dental checkups, the benefits of using fluoride toothpaste, fluoride rinse, topical application of fluoride by dental professionals, and the use of systemic fluoride when indicated. Emphasis is also placed on healthy eating and feeding habits to reduce the incidence of dental caries in our service areas, which have no community water fluoridation.

For more information about having KSOHP at your school, please contact t.barrygodin@kindersmile.org

Smiles for Seniors Health and Wellness Program

KinderSmile Foundation’s Smiles for Seniors Oral Health and Wellness Program provides oral health education and a crucial link to a permanent Dental Home to the underserved at-risk growing senior community in Trenton, currently making up 21% of the Trenton population.

Through continued and growing partnerships with Trenton area organizations, qualifying participants receive oral health education, nutritional counseling, and tobacco counseling related to dental disease, followed by a year of free preventive and comprehensive dental services (up to $1,500 per patient).

The program includes a critical dental-medical integration component, with incorporated A1C diabetes screenings, blood pressure screenings, and oral cancer screenings in our Trenton Dental Home, along with referrals to a primary care physician.

Smiles for Seniors Health and Wellness Program

Special Smiles Program

Special Smiles is an exciting expansion of the Kindersmile Oral Health Program, providing access to dental care and oral health education at schools for children with developmental disabilities.

Students at these schools have a range of social, emotional, behavioral, and physical disabilities and endure greater barriers to accessing care. We provide age- and ability-appropriate oral health education, dental exams, prophylactic cleanings, fluoride varnish, and dental sealants where appropriate. Students’ capacity to comprehend the topic is not easily defined by age/grade but rather by their intellectual or physical development, requiring individualized lesson plans that cater to each classroom of the school.

Tooth Brushing Stations at Special Smiles schools provide access to daily oral hygiene and rehabilitation while promoting self-determination, learning, and developing competency in new oral hygiene habits and practices. The program integrates a link to a permanent dental home where quality dental care can be continued if needed.

Give Kids a Smile Day

Give Kids A Smile Day is an integral part of KinderSmile Oral Health Program. This annual event aligns with the national celebration of National Children’s Dental Health Month every February.

Since 2007, KinderSmile Foundation has served thousands of children at this special oral health fair or throughout the month at KinderSmile Community Oral Health Centers in Bloomfield, Newark, and Trenton. We provide free oral health education and preventive dental care in a fun, educational setting.

Our event is among the top across the state, serving hundreds of children from at-risk families, who are then linked to our nonprofit Dental Homes for continuous follow-up and routine care.

More Ways to Get Involved

CSLP

Community Service Learning Program

Mentors future philanthropic & healthcare leaders by providing volunteer opportunities to students from high school through graduate school. Clinical shadowing and nonprofit internships help prepare students from pre-dental to public health, education and business. Students become aware of the importance of public health and community dentistry to reduce disparities in access to care.

GBAS

Give Back a Smile Program

Offers licensed dentists and dental hygienists the opportunity to donate their services to uninsured and underserved children in NJ at our Dental Homes or at their own practices. Participating specialists offer otherwise unattainable care to uninsured or underinsured patients. Professional volunteers earn CEUs.

KinderSmile Perinatal Health & Wellness Program

PHWP

KinderSmile Perinatal Health & Wellness Program

Breaks the dangerous cycle of untreated dental diseases by empowering pregnant & recently postpartum women with informative, personal, and culturally-sensitive training about the importance of maternal oral health and its impact on the developing fetus and young children under the mother’s care. Qualified graduates of the training program earn free dental care to restore their smiles to full functionality and painlessness.

#ItTakesAVillage to eradicate dental disease!

Volunteer your time or donate today to bring healthy smiles to those in need!

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