The Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation has given Rice Regional Dental Clinic at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar a $561,000 grant that will expand access to oral healthcare for very young children.
"This three-year project will significantly improve the oral health of the youngest and most vulnerable children in the 17-county service area," said Linda Jackson, DDS, director of the Rice Regional Dental Clinic, in a press release.
The idea behind the grant is to expand care. At a well-baby visit, children will receive preventive services including dental exams, fluoride varnish, oral hygiene instruction, and nutrition counseling, while parents receive age-appropriate information such as bottle-weaning and dietary information.
Children ages 1, 2, and 3 will be identified through the Child and Teen Checkup program. Those who qualify receive an informational mailer at 6 months, which focuses on infant oral healthcare, and another mailer at 9 months, reminding parents to schedule their child's 1-year dental visit.
