HEALTH: Improving peoples health

The Work of United Way

Our goal is to identify the scope and need of resources for dental care among school-aged children in Alachua and surrounding counties and begin to address that need.

Providing preventative dental care among uninsured and underinsured children in Alachua and surrounding counties means they are more likely to receive preventative health care. 

Solutions to our children's oral health issues:

By providing oral health screening, education and preventative programs, like varnish and sealants to pre-schooled aged children, our community can decrease the number of students who miss school due to mouth pain. Additional varnish and sealant treatments for first, sixth and tenth grade students can further prevent cavities and result in long-term savings on health care expenses for all of us. 

More community-based clinics for low income families will be established to address this unmet need. 

Did you know?

• Tooth decay is the single most common chronic disease of childhood, affecting nearly 6 in 10 children in the U.S. - 5 times as many children as asthma.
• In Florida there is one pediatric dental medicaid provicder for every 17,000 children. 
• In Alachua County, there are approximately 100 dentists, only six of whom accept medicaid.  
• Pain and infection are the current priority indicators for UF's pediatric clinic. There is a six month waiting list for selection of treatment.

What We Can Expect:

• Decreased absenteeism and increased learning capability
• Cavity reduction and long term dental and health care savings
• long term, data-driven policy changes