McConnellsville, NY - The end of a rewarding school year tends to bring a lot of smiles among students. Thanks to the Camden Central School District’s new partnership with Mosaic Dental, those smiles have been even brighter than usual this Spring at McConnellsville Elementary School.
McConnellsville was chosen to pilot the program for the District in advance of a District-Wide roll out for the 2022-23 academic year. The program operated from late May to early June, with 33 students participating in its initial run.
The Mosaic Health Community Dentistry Program is an innovative mobile program that focuses on oral disease prevention and oral health education. It provides the convenient, accessible, and affordable option to have dental care services rendered to our students.
Mosaic streamlines the dental experience for students by providing on-site services during the school day. Their scheduling practices allow students to receive services at a time that works best for their school day, reduce time absent from school, and limit the need for parents and guardians to take valuable time off from work to bring their student to an appointment. Parents and guardians are welcome to be present during their student’s appointment if they wish to be.
Through this exciting optional program, students receive on-site dental screenings and an oral health tool kit free of charge. Additionally, Mosaic can also provide services such as cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and dental X-Rays. A student can also be referred to an outside provider if additional work is required, and Mosaic is happy to cooperate with a Student’s existing provider as needed.
This program is available to all students regardless of insurance coverage or status. Many major dental insurance plans are accepted to help defray or eliminate the already low out-of-pocket costs of participating in the program. In addition, students with limited or no insurance coverage may qualify for a reduced fee based on income and family size. No student will be denied services because of limitations on their ability to pay.
Principal Heidi Allen has seen a clear impact during Mosaic’s stint at McConnellsville.
“I was very excited that so many students were able to have cleanings, have sealants applied and also be referred for additional treatments if needed,” Allen said. “It afforded several students the opportunity to have their teeth professionally cleaned for the first time, and minimized disruption to the instructional day. With Mosaic, students were with the hygienist for 30 to 45 minutes and were able to return directly back to class. Mosaic also excelled in partnering with our teachers and myself to keep students from missing their core instructional blocks.”
In the spirit of enhancing community-wide health, the Camden Central School District is excited to bring this opportunity to students in all buildings and grade levels for the 2022-23 academic year. For families who did not have the opportunity to participate in the pilot program, information on enrolling your child will be available at a later date. Mosaic has been providing school-based dental services to students since 1995, and their team has served over 45,000 students across the state. Additional information on the program is available at https://mosaichealth.org/community-dentistry-mohawk-valley.