Dental care and education are coordinated by a certified school dental hygienist and community-based dental consultant. Continuing dental health and preventive dental care are the primary aims of the program. The school dental consultant serves as an advisor to the Dental Hygiene Services Program and helps provide emergency dental care for students when necessary. Dental education activities are held throughout the year to emphasize the importance of good dental health and to motivate students to practice good dental health habits that will remain with them into adulthood. Routine follow-up is maintained for those students found to be in need of dental attention, with parental contact being made when necessary.
Emergency care is provided when dental injuries occur during school hours.
The student assistance program is a statewide initiative designed to help educators identify students who show signs of experiencing serious school-related problems. Through a systematic process, students are identified, interviewed, and, if appropriate, referred to an outside agency. It is an intervention process, not a treatment program. Student assistance programs have been implemented in all 501 Pennsylvania school districts. The core of the program is the student assistance team, comprised of school and agency personnel specially trained to work with at-risk students.