SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Three KELOLAND schools are offering resources families can really sink their teeth into. According to Falls Community Health, children ages 5 to 17 miss over 9 million school days throughout the United States due to oral health problems, and there are actions being taken to prevent that.

Jayme Tubandt is a dental hygienist.

“I complete cleanings, I do x-rays, I place sealants, I provide fluoride,” Tubandt said.

You won’t find Tubandt at your typical clinic here in Sioux Falls. She works inside of Hayward Elementary School.

“We have instruments, we have different ways of taking different types of x-rays. We have anything that you would need to run a successful and state-of-the-art dental office,” Tubandt said.

Clinics can also be found in Terry Redlin and Hawthorne Elementary.

“I would say we have the same, if not, some better equipment than some private dental offices throughout Sioux Falls and across the nation,” Tubandt said.

They are able to have these tools, thanks to their partnership with Falls Community Health.

“We do half-day coverage at each of the schools and we have three providers total. We also have an RN on staff, a patient service technician to help you schedule, then, of course, we have our dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants,” City of Sioux Falls School Based Health Liaison Kayla Borchardt said.

Borchardt says having them connected creates more convenience for families since their kids can be pulled directly from class and walk to the clinic. For the month of February, they’re offering a sealant program for second graders at each of the schools.

“It is at no cost to children in 2nd grade, so as long as we can get consent forms back from their parents, we can place these dental sealants on them to help decay from forming in their permanent molars,” Tubandt said.

Even if your family or child has no insurance, Falls Community Health has a discount program available that you may be eligible for to lower the cost of your bill.

“In the last school year, we’ve seen 163 percent increase of students seen at the school clinics,” Borchardt said.

“Having school-based clinics is very important and very beneficial,” Tubandt said.

You can visit Falls Community Health’s website to see how their services could benefit you.