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Washington State Smile Partners 

Description

Low-income and refugee children have multiple reasons why they do not show up at a dentist’s office for preventative oral health services.  Smile Partners has chosen as its goal to reverse that process and deliver preventative oral health services on-site, in the school, to pre-schools and elementary schools in South King and Kitsap counties.  Smile Partners focuses on the individual schools and pre-schools that have over 80% students (some as high as 90%) who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program.  The goal of our program is naturally to reduce visible decay in children’s mouths.

Mission Statement
Washington State Smile Partners' mission is to have good oral health attainable and affordable to any member of our community by providing consumer advocacy, oral health education, and preventative dental services in order to achieve and sustain healthy people and healthy communities.
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Washington State Smile Partners
221 Winslow Way West #302 
Bainbridge Island 
WA
98110 
(360) 689-3338 

George Parker 
Executive Director 

Programs

Washington State Smile Partners Programs

Smiles in Schools
This program brings preventative oral health services in pre-schools and elementary schools in the Federal Way, Tukwila, and Highline School Districts in South King County and to the Bremerton School District in Kitsap County.  Preventative services include all-school oral health assessments, multiple applications of fluoride varnish, cleanings, and sealants where applicable.  In addition to hygienists, this year we have added a pilot component bringing a dentist on-site for additional services.

Smiles For Life
This program for older adults (age 60+) in Kitsap County provides preventative oral health services on a sliding fee scale.  Currently, the services are offered in the Bainbridge Island Senior Center.

 

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Smile Partners started in 2004 in the Federal Way and Bremerton School Districts.  In 2007, the Tukwila School District was added. Our recent success was that in the 2010-11 school year, we were invited into the Highline School District starting with five very low-income elementary schools.     

Our considerable growth has added complications to our on-site delivery systems.  Our challenge in the school year 2012-13 is to modify and improve the robustness of our on-site program delivery and data collection systems.

Evaluation


Washington State Smile Partners strives to make good oral health accessible for all. They do this through consumer advocacy, oral health education, and preventative care in South King and Kitsap County pre-schools and elementary schools, and as well as for older adults at the Bainbridge Senior Center.

Proven Success
Their current programs have two overall outcomes. First, to perform oral health assessments on every child in the school with the data returned to the school health nurse categorizing every student into one of three categories; zero (healthy), one (visible decay), or two (urgent needs). The school nurse arranges appointments with private practice dentists for the children who have urgent needs. The second outcome is to provide on-site preventative treatment (fluoride, cleanings and sealants) to children whose parents provide consent.

Accessibility
WA State Smile Partners serves children with the greatest need by focusing on schools with higher than 75% enrollment in the Free and Reduced Lunch program. WA State Smile Partners cares for children onsite in their schools, and makes referrals for follow up care as needed, reducing the demand on families as much as possible. While County Public Health dental programs are available, access is limited. Smile partners helps to bridge the gap to dental care.

Best Practices
Meetings are held with parent groups to explain the program before it begins at a new school. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate oral health into curriculum concurrently with onsite clinic visits to reinforce lessons learned with students.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2010 $10,000.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

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