Like the saying, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away," good dental habits developed by children early in life can keep cavities at bay and prevent costly trips to the dentist.

February is Children's Dental Health Month.

Barry 'BJ' Currey, a retired pediatric dentist and the chair of the Texas Smiles Foundation, reminded families that it only takes a few minutes a day to improve oral health.

"Prevention is not all that difficult if people will be conscientious about getting it done," said Currey. "There are a lot of school days that are missed by kids because they have dental pain or dental problems."

Currey said without proper dental care, cavities can go untreated and cause an infection. That can result in so much pain, kids can't concentrate at school or even eat their lunch.

In adults, untreated dental problems can cause inflammation resulting in periodontal disease - common in nearly half of adults 30 and older and among 70% of people 65 years and older.

Dr. Paul McConnell is dental director with UnitedHealthcare.

He said rural families may need to be assertive to overcome barriers to good dental health because finding a dentist who accepts Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program may be difficult.

And transportation can be an obstacle.

"Unfortunately, families may not have that general dentist that's right on the corner," said McConnell, "so the access sometimes may be a little bit more difficult because of travel."

Currey encouraged new parents to clean the gums of babies with a cotton swab, and give them a soft toothbrush to chew on when they start teething.

He said kids have a harder time developing good habits if parents wait until they're school age to begin a daily routine.

"If the parents don't have good healthy teeth and appreciate dental health, then their kids are not going to, either," said Currey. "So, somehow I think we need to get more dental health education into the schools at a younger age."

He said despite being largely preventable, dental decay ranks as the most common chronic condition among children - with nearly 50% of kids having at least one cavity by the age of eight.

Kentucky's Appalachian counties are expanding efforts to help ensure kids are off to the right start educationally.

Research shows attending a high-quality preschool before kindergarten can boost well-being and economic outcomes later in life but most rural children lack access to centers or programs such as Head Start

Alissa Taylor, Kentucky state director for Save the Children, said eastern Kentucky communities are thinking outside the box, pointing to efforts in Whitley County to establish a reading room at a local shelter, where kids whose families do not have permanent housing still have access to a quiet space for learning.

"A nice place for the individuals and children staying there to relax, read a book, work on their homework, their education, in an environment that is similar to a home setting, where they may be missing that in other aspects of their life," Taylor outlined.

According to the National Rural Education Association, nearly one in seven rural students experiences poverty, one in 15 lacks health insurance, and one in 10 has changed their residence in the previous 12 months.

In Perry County, Taylor noted a community steering committee began a rapid response after flooding in the summer of 2022, which helped kids get back into classrooms sooner than in neighboring counties.

"They attributed the community impact approach and that steering committee being formed already before the flood, enabling them to act faster," Taylor explained.

Nick Carrington, managing director of community impact for Save the Children, pointed out rural children across the nation face systemic barriers to receiving a good education, especially very young children.

"Rural areas themselves have been under-resourced historically," Carrington stressed. "With just 7% of philanthropic dollars going to rural places that represent more than 20% of the national population."

Federal data show more than half of rural families with kids under 5 years old live in a child care desert.


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As Black History Month continues, advocacy groups in Ohio are pushing for policies that benefit children from all backgrounds. They emphasize the importance of leadership in shaping public health and social programs that impact millions of young people.

The Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, president and CEO of the Children's Defense Fund, said recent executive orders on diversity, equity and inclusion won't deter children's education and health-care access advocates.

"There is an arc of history that is longer than a four-year presidential cycle," he said, "and there is a vision for our children that is bigger than the White House."

After-school and summer programs known as "Freedom Schools" around the country use CDF's uniquely designed inclusive curriculum and storytelling to ensure scholars of diverse backgrounds are affirmed that their impact on the world is profound.

The Rev. Dr. Eva Marie Wolfe, executive director of CDF Freedom Schools of Licking County, said that even as they begin gearing up for their summer program, some families have already shown interest in enrollment. She explained the program's impact.

"We welcome, of course, all scholars, all children, into the program, no matter what their background is, their academic competency is, no matter their ethnicity," she said. "They see their differences as an asset, not as a detriment. Each one of them is valuable."

Wolfe said fostering inclusion and diversity education is just as important in suburban and rural areas of Ohio as it is in the cities.

In preparation for the summer program, they are hiring for various roles. People can go to RCFreedomSchool.org to apply or check out the Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools site to find programs around the country.

Legislation in Olympia would make school meals free for every student.

Senate Bill 5352 would ensure every student has access to free breakfast and lunch starting in the 2026 school year. Washington state has already made strides in this effort, with 70% of students having access to free meals.

Sen. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, said 70% is a "C-minus" grade and he wants schools to be an "A-plus" on the issue.

"We know they'll learn and they can grow and play, and they'll do it in a healthy way," Riccelli explained. "And, by the way, there will be less disruptions in the classroom. We don't have lunch shaming that goes on, and also there's a significant reduction in administrative burden when every kid has access to universal meals."

Riccelli pointed out school meals for all is essentially a tax cut for working families, noting the student of a single mother making $19 an hour currently does not qualify for free school meals. Organizations such as the American Heart Association are supporting the measure. Critics said the program is too costly, especially while the state faces a budget crunch.

Hannah LaMont, a fifth grade teacher in the Edmonds School District, said students cannot focus when they're hungry. LaMont noted this is the first year all students in her class have received free meals.

"This is also the first year that I haven't heard a student say, 'No, I'm not going to eat lunch today because I don't have money in my account and my parents can't afford to,'" LaMont recounted. "This is the first year that I haven't given a student my own lunch to make sure that they have eaten, or had to keep snacks in my classroom to make sure that my students are fed."

Riccelli argued while the state is dealing with a tight budget, it still needs to make investments in schools. He stressed he is tired of hearing about test scores and graduation rates while kids are hungry at school.

"It's just not attainable for a lot of kids," Riccelli contended. "They're going to be sicker, they're going to be distracted if they don't have appropriate nutrition, and that seems like a basic need and we need to be about first meeting the basic needs of our kids in school."


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