What if we could make going to the dentist as easy as going to school? At The Forsyth Institute, we asked ourselves just that.
ForsythKids brings preventive dental care directly to children who face barriers to access, right in their elementary schools. Our licensed dentists and hygienists provide every enrolled child with a dental exam, treatment plan, toothbrush, toothpaste, oral health education, and preventive care consisting of: tooth cleaning, fluoride, sealants and where needed, temporary fillings to arrest the decay process..
Children are seen every six months for optimal prevention. Forsyth has found that one round of prevention, measured at six months, resulted in a significant reduction in new decay for both baby teeth and permanent teeth of 52% and 32% respectively. The initial results of the program were highlighted in the Journal of the American Dental Association. To learn more about the success of the program check out the JADA article. Time out of class is less than one hour per year. This simple model of cabity prevention could be adapted - and adopted nationwide, revolutionizing how America approaches oral health.
Initially, launched in six schools in Lynn, Hyannis and Boston, Massachusetts, ForsythKids originally reached 1,200 children. Based on our striking clinical success, the program is poised for dramatic growth, and has already expanded to all the elementary schools in Lynn at the invitation of the town, as well as to school systems on Cape Cod and the Islands – offering children in more than 50 schools with convenient, cost-effective, preventive dental care. ForsythKids also operates in the state of Maine and will be expanding to pilot sites nationally.
