What is an oral health screening?
Registered Dental Hygienists from the Halton Region Health Department provide a dental screening for children in selected grades at all publicly funded Halton elementary schools. The Ontario Public Health Standards require health units to conduct this screening annually to identify children who are in need of dental treatment.
Parents can also request a screening with a Public Health registered dental hygienist to assess their child’s oral health (and eligibility for the Healthy Smiles Ontario Program). Call 311 to book an in-person screening at our clinic or a tele-screening appointment by phone or on Zoom.
What happens during the oral health screening?
The Registered Dental Hygienist will take a quick look in your child’s mouth with a sterilized mirror. Parents will be notified of obvious dental problems and/or recommendations for preventive care. A dental screening is a visual assessment only and does not replace your child’s regular dental visit with a dental provider.
How will I know if my child will be screened?
If your child is in a selected grade to be screened, you will be notified by a letter or email from your child’s school. If you would like to opt out of this screening, instructions to decline are included in the letter. If your child needs dental care and you can’t afford it, you do not have to wait for the school screening. Please call 311 and ask for the Oral Health Program.