Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon Health Authority

Oral Health Publications

Oregon Smile and Healthy Growth Screening

(In past years, this was called the Oregon Smile Survey)

During the school years 2022-23 and 2023-24, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is conducting a statewide childhood health screening effort. The Oregon Smile and Healthy Growth Screening is a unique health assessment which provides local communities and the State with a better understanding of our childhood population health status and identifies health concerns which would otherwise be missed. Programs throughout the state rely on this data for program planning. The data collected is confidential.

This year it is more important than ever that we screen children for their oral health, height and weight, as many children have missed dental and well-child visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children with cavities often experience pain, which can contribute to school absenteeism. One of the goals of this screening is to identify children who need to be treated by a dental professional and give this information to their families and schools. 

One first-, second- and third-grade classroom will be selected at each participating school. A trained Registered Dental Hygienist will screen children from these classrooms by measuring their height and weight and looking inside their mouth for any tooth decay. The screening will take less than two minutes per child and does not hurt. If any dental problems are found, the dental hygienist will tell a school staff person who can help families find a dental provider if needed. This screening does not include dental treatment or x-rays. 

Please contact the OHA Oral Health Program with any questions at oral.health@odhsoha.oregon.gov
or by phone at 971-666-8815 (voice or text)

Attention Schools:

If you have been contacted by our Oregon Smile and Healthy Growth Screening Coordinator inviting you to participate in this screening effort, here is additional information and resources for you.
  • This screening is separate from the School Dental Sealant Program because this produces an accurate, statewide snapshot of children's health due to the specific methods used. 
  • The "Opt-Out" forms, which need to go home with your students two weeks before your screening day, are available in the following languages for download:
English    Arabic    Chuukese    Hmong    Japanese    Korean    Malay    Romanian    

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oregon Smile Survey Report

At the end of each state-wide Smile Survey/Screening (which is conducted about every five years) data is collected, analyzed, and reported by the OHA Oral Health Program. This is called the Oregon Smile Survey Report and is an important step in understanding and addressing the problem of tooth decay. 


Thumbnail of 2017 Smile Survey Data Brief      Thumbnail of cover page of 2012 Smile Survey Report

2017 Oregon Smile Survey Data Brief          2012 Oregon Smile Survey Report

   
Below are reports from surveys/screenings conducted in previous years: 


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oregon Oral Health Surveillance System Report

The Oregon Oral Health Surveillance System Report is a collection of data designed to advise policy and program development by providing an overview of health outcomes, behaviors and capacity related to oral health.


Learn more and read the 2024 report (pdf)