According to the website of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, “(t)ooth decay is the most common chronic infectious disease of childhood.” It is even more common than asthma. The North Carolina Oral Health Section even has a motto, “North Carolina children- cavity free forever” and the Division of Public Health, even has a strategic plan (see here). Unfortunately, North Carolina ranks in the bottom five states with respect to school-based dental sealant treatment programs (reference). Let’s hope our state can do something about that situation.

Dentistry is changing before our eyes. Dentists can now make crowns with 3-D printers. The process is fast and accurate. There are so many innovations that have come along in the past few years. If you are looking for a new dentist, ask about equipment that they have in-house. With all the institutions of higher education in Greensboro, none has a school of dentistry. The only two in the state are at the Universityof North Carolina in Chapel Hill and in Greenville at East Carolina University. 

The above photo was taken at the Greensboro Science Center to remind us of dental health and dentistry. These teeth could use some cleaning and floss! Today is ABC Wednesday and D is for our Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math Round, D is for Dentistry.