Gavin Uchida has seen a lot of teeth in his life while working as a pediatric dentist and administrator of the Hawaiʻi Keiki – HDS Dental Sealant program.
He said the rate of tooth decay in the state is currently “off the charts”.
“We have more potholes than almost any other state,” Uchida told HPR.
The Hawaiʻi Keiki – HDS Dental Sealant program began in 2019 as a partnership between the state Department of Education, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing and the Hawaiʻi Dental Service Foundation.
Dentists and a team of nurses visit schools on Oʻahu, Maui and Kauaʻi once a year to provide free oral exams to second and third grade students. If needed, the team will provide for free dental sealants to prevent caries.
The program is led in part by the results of a 2015 Ministry of Health report. It found that 70 percent of Hawaii’s third graders are affected by tooth decay—compared to the national average of 50 percent. This is more prevalent in Title I schools, where more than half of the students come from lower-income families.
Hawaiʻi Keiki: Healthy and ready to learn
Uchida told HPR that local dentists have known for decades that tooth decay is a problem among children.
“The data on cavity rates is remarkably consistent in Hawaii, even over the past 10 years,” Uchida said. He explained how a statewide report was done in 2015 by the Department of Health and the data they are seeing now is almost identical.
According to Uchida, while tooth decay affects lower-income families more, it is also “unfairly high” among wealthier households.
“We have a lot of sugar in our lifestyle,” Uchida said. “Uncles and uncles, everybody likes to share and give candy and give juice and candy. But tooth decay is often the result of too much sugar and not enough brushing.”
The program also hopes to address dental issues that affect learning outcomes for students.
“Keiki often misses school due to dental pain, which not only limits his ability to eat and speak, but also reduces his overall quality of life,” said Debroah Mattheus, director of the Hawaiʻi Keiki-HDS dental sealant program.
As of 2019, the program has held 90 events at DOE schools, holding nearly 2,000 screenings and providing more than 1,100 sealants.
However, the program has been suspended for the past two school years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While they’ve made minor safety changes, officials are concerned about the students they’ve lost over the past two years.
“During those two difficult school years, many of them probably haven’t seen the dentist,” said Gerraine Hignite, dental hygienist and Hawaiʻi Keiki program manager.
“It’s very important that we can at least access them. There are a lot of barriers,” Hignite said.
Hawaiʻi Keiki: Healthy and ready to learn
Barriers could include parents’ work, transportation, or the availability of dentists at community health centers.
“If we can provide this service at the school while the kids are at school, that would be a benefit for everyone. And if they need their dental needs met, we can refer them to a dental home in the community,” Hignite said. .
Kauluwela Elementary is one of dozens of DOE schools holding the dental sealant event in their cafeteria. Principal Sonja Samsonas told HPR that students and families often get on a waiting list at nearby health centers for dental needs.
“I see it as a win-win for everyone involved,” Samson said. “That’s one less person taking up a seat in health centers. And then it keeps our students in school, which then helps our teachers be able to teach and guide them on a daily basis.”
Looking ahead, program administrators want to expand the program to reach more schools — particularly on Maui and the island of Hawaii.
