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Kent, and Queen Anne’s County public of this program in helping to provide • The Alliance says school-
school student enrollees. Choptank access to health care for all.” based health care is also a
Health’s dental services are already commonsense idea gaining
Choptank Community Health operates
provided in Dorchester County Public currency across the country
12 medical school-based health centers,
Schools, with dental and medical as it places critically needed
located in each Caroline County Public
services available to students enrolled services like medical, behavioral,
School and in Talbot County Public
in the school-based health programs dental, and vision care directly in
School’s Easton Elementary, Easton
of Caroline and Talbot County Public schools so that all young people,
Middle, and Easton High Schools.
Schools. no matter their zip code, have
“School-Based Health Centers improve equal opportunity to learn and
Choptank Community Health’s attendance by limiting the amount grow. More about the Alliance is
Chief Dental Offi cer Sandra Garbely- of time students and staff miss from at sbh4all.org.

Kerkovich, DMD and Community school and work by providing the care
Based Program Director Chrissy Bartz, they need, and then allowing them • Choptank Community
PAC, MMS oversee the school-based to return to school as appropriate,” Health System’s mission is to
dental program, with Pre-K through says Bartz. “It’s a great service to our provide access to exceptional,
12th-grade students enrolled in each students, their parents, our schools, and comprehensive, and integrated
school are eligible to receive care at any ultimately our entire communities.” health care for all. Choptank
location. Health’s vision is to improve the
Each medical health center is staff ed by health and well-being of people
Registered dental hygienists provide in the communities served by
on-site dental screenings, fl uoride licensed advanced practice clinicians, providing outstanding care

treatments, sealant applications, and including Certified Nurse Practitioners experiences while being an
dental hygiene education. Th e free and Physician Assistants, and function exceptional place to work and
dental screenings include examinations like a typical doctor’s offi ce. Choptank make a diff erence.

of the teeth and all soft tissues of the Health is offering telehealth and
mouth—along with instruction on curbside visits at the schools for • Parents and guardians can enroll
brushing and flossing, and education COVID testing, with quarantining their students in Choptank

on the importance of eating healthy protocols and separate well-child Community Health’s School-
foods in good oral hygiene. spaces on premise. Based Health Centers by calling
• According to the School-Based their school’s health staff or
“Strong partnerships with the area’s Health Center, with more at
Health Alliance, school-based
local school systems are critical to choptankhealth.org.
health care is a powerful tool for
the impact our School-Based Health
achieving health equity among
Centers have on the wellness of all
children and adolescents who
students,” said Choptank Community
unjustly experience disparities in
Health CEO Sara Rich. “We are thankful
outcomes simply because of their
for the commitment of each school and
race, ethnicity, or family income.
county for recognizing the importance

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