Why is St. Joseph Health Ministries focusing on childrens oral health?
The U.S. Surgeon General has called oral diseases a “silent epidemic,” with tooth decay ranking as the most chronic childhood disease – five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. In Lancaster County, an estimated 19,000 at-risk children each year never visit a dentist. Research shows that oral health greatly affects a child’s overall health and development and is also a key factor in behavior, emotional well being and performance in school.
