According to a state study, dental disease in children has reached epidemic proportions in California, especially in non-fluoridated areas.
Problems range from tooth decay to gum disease.
In San Mateo County, this dental program is known as Brighter Bites. When possible, the program includes free dental screening, courtesy of local dentists. Brighter Bites is available to all schools in the county which meet state requirements. Targeted schools are those with a large percentage of children on the free school lunch program, which do not have fluoride in their community water systems. Teachers incorporate the dental programs into their curricula on a weekly basis.