BCD organization sponsors Children

(DALLAS, TX) — The Asian-American Dental Society at Baylor College of Dentistry-Texas A&M Health Science Center is sponsoring a Children’s Sealant Day on April 29 in Dallas.

The free program, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Baylor College of Dentistry, is open to children ages 6-14. Children must have an appointment and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to be treated.

Dental sealants are thin, plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the premolars and molars (back teeth). The sealant color is either clear or tinted, and the application is a simple, painless procedure.

“Children should get sealants on their permanent premolars and molars as soon as the teeth come in – before decay attacks the teeth,” said Dr. Loulou M.T. Moore, assistant professor of restorative sciences at BCD-HSC and faculty adviser to the organization. “With regular check-ups, dental sealants can last 10 years, which protects the children while they’re developing good oral hygiene habits. However, if sealants are chipped and worn out, they must be replaced for better protection.”

Sealants will be applied by Asian-American Dental Society (ADS) dental students, as well as other BCD dental-student volunteers, all supervised by College faculty.

Along with free dental sealants, dental students will provide free prophylaxis (dental cleaning) and oral hygiene procedures for children who do not qualify for sealants due to caries (cavities).

“We also offer a free follow-up for children who received sealants during the previous programs,” Dr. Moore said. “Free re-application of the sealant will be provided if needed.”

For an appointment for the free dental sealants treatment or the follow-up, contact Hap Nguyen-Phuc, fourth-year dental student and ADS parliamentary chair, at (214) 828-8400, ext. 4455. Leave a name and phone number after the prompt, and a dental student will call back to set an appointment.

Baylor College of Dentistry is located at 3302 Gaston Ave. on the corner of Gaston and Hall streets. The pediatric dentistry clinic is on the second floor. For additional assistance or directions, contact Leeanna Bartlett, director of social services, at (214) 828-8353.

Founded in 1905, Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, a component of the Texas A&M Health Science Center, is a nationally recognized center for oral health sciences education, research, specialized patient care and continuing dental education.

The Texas A&M Health Science Center provides the state with health education, outreach and research. Its five components located in communities throughout Texas are Baylor College of Dentistry, the College of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Institute of Biosciences and Technology and the School of Rural Public Health.