Several Kentucky organizations have partnered to launch the Making Smiles Happen Surveillance Initiative, a statewide project to screen the oral health of children in the state.
Over the course of 18 months, the initiative will survey about 6,000 third- and sixth-grade students across the state to better understand the oral health needs of Kentucky's youth. This is the first statewide surveillance project since 2001, and the results will help determine how future projects can best improve the oral health of Kentucky's children.
Some of the organizations partnering for the initiative are listed below:
- Making Smiles Happen, the charitable arm of Delta Dental of Kentucky
- University of Louisville School of Dentistry
- Kentucky Youth Advocates
- Kentucky Association of School Superintendents
- Kentucky Oral Health Coalition
"We are proud to support this initiative because we firmly believe the well-being of our children is the key to the future health and success of our families, communities, and businesses," stated Cliff Maesaka, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Kentucky, in a press release.
