Best Dental Help

Mission

Since 2017, when Best Dental Help first started serving children in five Title 1 schools, we have been on a mission to provide preventive dental health services to all Washington State children, regardless of insurance or ability to pay.

Description

Here at Best Dental Help, a Washington based non-profit school preventive dental service program, we know that a child is not able to function to their fullest potential academically if they are experiencing pain in any part of their body. This includes the mouth. We partner with schools to provide science based oral health education along with preventive dental services like dental cleanings, sealants, fluoride and necessary referrals. All at no cost to the children and families we serve. 

Did you know that according to the National Institute of Health, dental caries (tooth decay) remains the most prevalent chronic disease in children, even though it is largely preventable? The Centers for Disease Control reports that 37% of U.S. children aged 2 to 8 experience tooth decay in their primary teeth, and 58% of U.S. teenagers have or have had tooth decay. As a result, children with poor oral health status were nearly 3 times more likely than their counterparts to miss school as a result of dental pain (Journal of American Public Health). 

Speaking to the importance and effectiveness of our work, the American Dental Association confirms that in years in which treatment was provided through a school-based caries prevention program, schools recorded approximately 944 fewer absences than in non-treatment years. Our focus on Title 1 schools ensures that we meet the needs of children who need our services most, however, we do not turn away any children. 

In this past school year (23-24), we provided services to 7,504 children, serving 165 schools across 12 school districts in 7 WA state counties. We helped keep 4,744 smiles healthy by providing oral hygiene education, screenings, prophylaxes, fluoride, and sealants. Additionally, we made 2,669 referrals to local dental service providers for active decay and urgent needs. The value of the services we provide, can only be measured in the healthy smiles we receive!!

By donating today, you become part of our mission to keep our high quality, very necessary services, free and expanding to help even more smiles! Thank you for your support.