Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Southampton County Public Schools has partnered with Smile Programs to bring comprehensive dental care to SCPS students.

Dr. Shonda Harris-Muhammed said, “It is the honor of my career as the (SCPS) director of testing and pupil personnel to be a voice for partnerships such as this. We have so many students in need of health care and dental care. Without that basic need being met for our students, learning is a challenge for them.”

She said the partnership is the result of a Smile Programs representative reaching out to her in the fall of 2024 regarding the dental program.

Harris-Muhammed noted that thanks to the arrangement, SCPS students from 18 months old to 18 years old will have access at their schools to comprehensive dental care, which includes a complete exam, X-rays, cleaning, fluoride treatments, sealants, fillings and other basic restorative care.

“The program typically requires at least 25 students eligible through Medicaid/insurance for each dental visit,” Harris-Muhammed said. “For every 25 eligible insured students we see, we can see three to five uninsured at no cost.”

She said the partnership with Smile Programs involves no cost to any schools or the school division.

“For students who are covered by CHIP/Medicaid there is no cost,” she said. “Southampton County Public Schools is investing our love and space at no cost to the students.”

She explained where the mobile dentists of Smile Programs will work while at SCPS.

“With the infrastructure of our school buildings that differ, the location in each building is not the same,” she said. “The schools have created safe spaces in their art rooms, auditoriums and conference rooms for the dental visits.”

She noted that on average, the program can serve about 15 to 25 students per day.

The program features a local, licensed dental team that includes a dentist, hygienist and/or dental assistant operating a mini-dental clinic with advanced portable technology that is set up for the day, Harris-Muhammed said.

She indicated that the program features 25 years of experience partnering with schools.

She said that the partnership between SCPS and Smile Programs has been formed in a way so as not to disrupt instructional programming for any student. 

“The school nurses, the school teams and myself will work together to ensure students who have submitted the proper forms will be seen on a particular day when the Smile Programs is present on a campus,” she said. “The schools will let the parents/guardians/caretakers know the time, etc.” 

Smile Programs’ first visit to SCPS came on April 10 at Meherrin Elementary School.

Harris-Muhammed noted that the program will visit Southampton Middle School and Southampton High School on May 8, and other schools have been scheduled throughout the month of May.

“For any parent/guardian or caretaker who is interested in their child being seen by a Smiles dentist, please see their school’s nurse or contact me at 757-653-7438,” she said.