“Dental decay is a serious public health issue among children,” Zagar wrote. “
“Statistics show that in the United States, 50 percent of children ages 6- to 8-years-old have experienced dental decay; 26 percent of whom have decayed teeth that go untreated due to the lack of affordable dental services. “
“Lancaster County is a perfect example of children’s unmet dental needs, with few treatment centers available to low-income families. St. Joseph’s Health Ministries is trying to alleviate the problem by sending the Brush Brush Bus, a fully-equipped dental van with a dentist, dental hygienist and dental assistant, to various Lancaster County Schools to provide treatment for those in need.”

And, from her students:


•Excuse me, but it seems like, in a way, the child is running the show. The teacher cannot get a student to do the work required just by telling the child it is an assignment and it needs to be done. Instead, the child is running the show and will not do the work unless some reward is going to be offered.

— Jessica Bateman,

McSherrystown


•In our clinic, we see many children throughout the year and, as rewards for good behavior, we give out stickers. The children are very excited when they get to pick out the stickers of their choice.

— Abby Bevenour, Hanover


•Many people do not know that within two to four minutes, sugar-containing foods (candy, cookies, especially those that are sticky) are already turning into acids that may cause tooth decay.

— Karen Bieber, Hanover


•As an avid candy lover and dental hygiene student, I am very torn on this issue. I know, with my dental hygiene background, that giving children candy all of the time will cause them to get cavities, because we all know that they aren’t brushing after they eat. But, on the other hand, I do remember the days of knowing that I would get some M&Ms or a Hershey Kiss if I got a good score on my homework ... If they are going to give candy, regular candy is fine every once in a while, but why don’t you throw in some sugar-free candy. I’m sure most kids won’t even know the difference.

— Brittany Blauvelt,

Camp Hill


•Children are sweet like candy and have brains like a sponge. Let’s not deprive them of pleasure, but also teach them that being healthy is a reward all in itself.

— Lindsey Brown,

Lancaster


•I believe that giving a child a sweet treat on a special occasion is, in itself, a harmless practice. The problem is that these sweets are becoming more and more the chosen tool to reward behavior or good grades in school.

— Isabel Cradduck, Lititz


•I don’t agree with giving children sugary candies during school hours when tooth brushing is not available and many times the dental care at home is inadequate, as well.

— Laura Hoffman,

Mount Joy


•We only get one permanent set of teeth; shouldn’t we do all that we can to keep them in good shape, as well as keeping the rest of our body healthy?

— Julie Jury, Wiconisco


•What society does not realize is that the oral cavity is the gateway into the body, and what goes on in the mouth has an effect on the entire well-being of an individual.

— Kristen Killen, Ephrata


•Being in an educational setting, teachers should be careful how often they are allowing their students to eat junk food as a means of learning.

— Katrina Nawrocki,

New Providence


•Imagine, in the sue-happy society we live in, if one of those parents decided to sue their child’s teacher for promoting or even causing their child’s cavities by offering candy rewards for positive behavior.

— Barbara Rickrode,

East Berlin


•Rewards such as extra recess, homework passes, music in the classroom, a treasure box full of school supplies, a picnic lunch or just more time with their friends can prove just as effective, and probably more effective, than candy.

— Katie Raezer, Camp Hill