Second-grade students receive preventive dental care

More than 650 Edgewood Independent School District second-graders received dental screenings and sealants at the Health Science Center in conjunction with National Children’s Dental Health Month in February. The students received preventive care from more than 350 dental students and 60 dental hygiene students, under the supervision of over 50 faculty members from the UT Health Science Center Dental School. “We chose second-graders for a reason,” said Gary Guest, D.D.S., coordinator of the dental sealant program and assistant dean for predoctoral clinics. “Most have gotten their first permanent molars by now. By sealing those teeth with dental varnish, we are helping to prevent a lot of dental caries. I like to think we’ve had a major impact on dental health in San Antonio over the 11 years we’ve been doing this program. We’ve probably put sealants on the teeth of more than 6,000 children.”