Free dental program returns to Merrill schools for 14th year

The Lincoln County Health Department’s Seal-A-Smile program is back for its 14th year, offering free preventative dental care to students in the Merrill Area Public School (MAPS) District.
The school-based program provides dental services during school hours at no cost to families, regardless of insurance coverage. This year, the program has expanded to serve all students from kindergarten through 11th grade at MAPS.
“During the 2024-25 school year, our program provided an estimate of $80,485 in preventative dental care to families in Lincoln County,” said Lexi Buntrock, Lincoln County Seal-A-Smile coordinator. “By providing this program to students, we hope we can foster life-long healthy dental habits, prevent urgent dental needs in the future, and connect families to available resources.”
The program offers dental exams, sealants to prevent cavities, fluoride varnish applications, oral health education, and take-home bags with toothbrushes, toothpaste, and flossers. Staff also help connect families to dental offices when treatment needs arise.
A registered dental hygienist provides all services during the school day. The program is not intended to replace regular dental care.

Parents and guardians can sign up online at sealasmile.wisconsin.gov/consent/home/about or by contacting the Lincoln County Health Department at 715.536.0307 or LCHealth@co.lincoln.wi.us.
The program operates through a partnership between the Lincoln County Health Department, Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin, Aspirus Merrill Hospital, and MAPS.
Lincoln County lacks dental clinics that accept Medicaid or BadgerCare patients. To address this gap, the health department maintains the Lincoln County Guide to Affordable Dental Care, available at https://bit.ly/4enlnVO.
Parents with questions or those who prefer their child not receive fluoride varnish can contact Buntrock at lexi.buntrock@co.lincoln.wi.us or 715.539.1374. Families with children who don’t attend MAPS but who are interested in the program are encouraged to reach out as well.