What We Do

Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg, Inc. advocates and promotes the health of Spartanburg and Cherokee County children through community dental health screenings, education, and free oral health services for qualifying children at no cost to their families. Our children’s dental care program serves school-age children in grades K4–12 in Spartanburg and Cherokee County.

Our work is comprised of two main services: Dental screenings and oral health education for all children, and free dental care and procedures for qualifying children.

Dental screenings and oral health education for all children

The Healthy Smiles team of dental professionals travel to schools throughout Spartanburg and Cherokee County, as well as to community health fairs, to give free dental screenings and provide oral health education.

School screenings occur during grades K4, K5, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. After the screenings, parents receive assessments on their child’s oral health. Once the assessment has been made, parents can make their own dental appointments, ask the school nurse to refer their child to Healthy Smiles, or call us directly at 864-592-4696.

Additionally, to serve all of Spartanburg and Cherokee children, the Healthy Smiles team:

• Distributes toothbrushes and children’s dental care information.
• Provides training and instruction on topics relating to dental care for children for educators and healthcare providers.
• Offers guest speakers to address children’s dental care to civic organizations, parent/teacher associations and other groups.
• Collaborates with other health-oriented organizations on dental care for children.
• Helps to create children’s dental care educational opportunities and prevention strategies for healthcare partners, schools and other groups.

Free dental care and procedures for qualifying children

Healthy Smiles provides no-cost dental cleanings, care and procedures to children who have no dental insurance and no Medicaid. (Learn more about who qualifies.)

Free dental care clinics are held on designated on certain day of the week in the Healthy Smiles children’s dental clinic.  Visit the Events page to see our schedule of upcoming free dental clinics.

Local dentists can also refer children to our free dental clinic.

Why care about children’s dental health?

So why does Healthy Smiles focus on improving children’s dental health?

• Tooth decay is the #1 childhood disease.
• Countless school hours are lost each year to oral disease, putting children at risk of falling behind.
• Untreated dental problems can lead to heart disease, blood poisoning and even death.

Oral health is directly related to overall health. Better oral health at a young age prevents a myriad of health problems – and their financial, physical and emotional costs – later on. By improving the oral health of Spartanburg and Cherokee’s children, we are setting a foundation for better health habits and healthier, more productive adults.

The Spartanburg Community Indicators Report 2016 sites Healthy Smiles in the report as contributing to the 22% decline in visits to the Emergency Department for Pediatric Dental diagnosis.

HELP US RAISE HEALTHIER KIDS