A new oral screening campaign has been launched in 32 schools in Côte-d'Or, targeting students in priority areas. The objective: to improve the oral health of more than 800 kindergarten and first grade schoolchildren, thanks to classroom awareness and personalized follow-up.
Oral health at the heart of priority schools
For the second year in a row, Health Insurance, in partnership with National Education, is setting up an oral and dental prevention campaign in schools in fragile areas of the department. This campaign aims to raise awareness among children about oral hygiene (brushing, diet, cavity prevention) and to offer individual screening for dental care problems.
This year, 837 children are affected, or 15% more than last year. The students come from kindergarten and CP classes from schools in the priority education networks (REP) and from establishments located in fragile areas in the towns of Chenôve, Dijon, Talant, Quetigny, Longvic, and Montbard.
Prevention directly at the heart of the classroom
This campaign includes two main stages: collective awareness sessions and individual oral screening.
Raising awareness is provided by 16 dentistry students from the University of Burgundy who lead fun workshops in the classes. These workshops, accompanied by educational materials provided by Health Insurance, aim to teach children good oral hygiene habits. At the end of each session, a brushing kit is distributed to each child.
In the second stage, the children receive a visit from a dental surgeon accompanied by a student for an individual oral and dental screening. A confidential letter is then sent to parents to inform them of any necessary care, inviting them to make an appointment covered under the Health Insurance M'T teeth program.
School: a key place to transmit good reflexes
It is at the age of six that the first permanent teeth appear, a time when they are particularly vulnerable to cavities. This campaign makes school a place for learning good oral hygiene habits, while promoting direct access to care for children from fragile backgrounds. In 2023, this initiative made it possible to detect dental problems in one in three children, and to initiate care for all those who needed it thanks to personalized follow-up.
A partnership serving vulnerable populations
This project is based on an innovative partnership between Health Insurance, the University of Burgundy and National Education, with the active participation of dental students. Educational workshops are an opportunity to engage in dialogue with children and indirectly raise awareness among families. Financially, Health Insurance supports the operation to the tune of 16,500 euros, excluding coverage for individual care. This campaign is part of the national health strategy aimed at reducing health inequalities and moving towards a “cavity-free generation”.
With this initiative, Health Insurance intends to reduce inequalities in access to oral and dental care and offer each child the same chances of preserving a healthy smile.
