Big Bear Valley, CA, March 10, 2014 – Going to the dentist can be uncomfortable for anyone, let alone a child. So when kids can get screened in familiar surroundings, it’s a less threatening experience. The Rotary Club of Big Bear Lake is providing just that on March 11. Their annual dental screening program is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. to noon at all three local elementary schools.
The program is good for parents, too. The services are free, allowing families to easily comply with State law, which requires kindergarteners or first graders to receive dental screenings during their first year of public school. All fifth graders are eligible also. Permission slips are being sent home with students.
This year’s volunteer dentists will share the exam results with school health officials, who will then inform the parents. Children with identified problems whose families cannot afford further dental treatment are often treated at reduced rates. The program was started by the late Dr. Bob Davies in the 1970s, a long time Rotarian and local dentist, and has since earned honors from Rotary District 5330 and has spawned similar programs at District clubs around the state.
