The Catskill Chronicle

HURLEYVILLE, NY (February 3, 2014) – February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. And the PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program is raising  awareness of the importance of oral health by sharing these statistics.

Over 51 million school hours are lost each year due to the pain of dental problems. The 2009-2011 New York State Oral Health Indicators show that 59% of 3rd grade students in Sullivan County have cavities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay affects children in the United States more than any other chronic infectious disease. Untreated tooth decay causes pain and infections that may lead to difficulty with eating, speaking, playing, and learning.

The mission of PRASAD CDHP is to improve children’s dental health by providing comprehensive, high quality dental services, including education, prevention, detection, and treatment.

Since 1998, PRASAD CDHP has addressed the dental needs of children from six months through 18 years of age, in Sullivan County and parts of Ulster County in New York.

Children receive dental health education at their schools and all needed preventative and restorative dental care in our mobile dental clinic. The first dental visit is suggested at the age of one year. Baby teeth should be well cared for, so that permanent teeth can be healthy.

For additional information about National Children’s Dental Health month and PRASAD CDHP, or to make a donation to PRASAD so that more children can receive much needed dental care, visit www.prasadcdhp.org or call 845-434-0376.