I truly believe that schools need to implement real focus on educating kids, throughout all grades and ages, the importance of obtaining and maintaining good oral health! I also believe that access to preventive oral hygiene care and services should and could be easily implemented into the curriculum and school systems! The longer teeth and their support system are neglected, the more susceptible those things are, in failing, causing cavities and gum disease. And the effects of poor oral health reach much further than the mouth! Cavities are most common to see, in school age children. However, after years of neglecting gum health, gingivitis (reversible) can progress and lead to the development of a chronic and systemic gum disease, called Periodontal disease. And as someone who primarily focuses on, and wants to help reduce and prevent disease and costly treatment needs, I believe it is important to have this knowledge and education instilled at a young age, so they aren’t fighting constant issues, for a lifetime! Then, by having preventive oral health services available, throughout school-aged children, we will be able to help ensure that we are providing them with teeth and a healthy understanding of how the mouth is actually part of, and the gateway to the body! Heck, I think we could be part of a preventive healthcare team, provided through school! But, whatever little focus has ever been implemented, it hasn’t been much. Idk what happens to all the funds and money that should be utilized to help improve the health, safety, wellbeing, and lives of any of us, old and young?! Bc they are not coming close, to achieving this! But the answer is NOT allowing minimally trained and educated people and/or people abusing questionable pathways! What good could come from such a thing? We should highlight and utilize our already highly trained, skilled, and educated preventive oral healthcare team! Making this role and profession more appealing, is also a great start to retaining those that choose this particular profession. But it seems that no matter what, the answer is to always restrict and/or undermine prevention, and access to it. But we have a huge problem, and the oral health of young people, is not meeting acceptable standards! I have seen some horrible things! And those are the ones that have been able to access and receive costly treatment needs.. when a lot of it could have been avoided with the proper education and understanding and importance, placed on it! And we need nutritionists! Bc health is a lot of what you put into your MOUTH and feed the rest of your body! We just have got to do SOMETHING, bc these things shouldn’t be a “luxury” in 2026!