We are asking all of our supporters and volunteers to help us challenge every religious and spiritual organization to make children's concerns and needs a priority by committing one worship day, two times a year out of the fifty-two weeks of the year to address "How Are The Children?". Each participating religious or spiritual institution may select any topic that impacts the health and well-being of children in Tennessee. The topic or issue may address a neighborhood, community, county, region or statewide issue or concern. We suggest issues be factual and/or researched based. 

We recommend this be done the first worship day of each year and the first worship day before Thanksgiving. The first worship day of the year allows us to start the new

The second "How Are The Children Worship Day?" allows us to re-assess how our children are doing and our progress in making children a priority.

If you are an individual, group or religious/spiritual institution and would like to support us with this annual project. Please let us  know who you are. Your participation lets elected officials know that Tennesseans care about their children and want them to make health, safety and well-being of our children a priority.

Please send us a short email to: bci@bcitn.org letting us know about your "How Are The Children Worship Day?".

Life is better With Teeth

An estimated 16.5 million children go without dental care each year. Tennessee has improved its role in ensuring that low-income children have access to basic, preventive dental care, however Tennessee can still do better for low-income poor children under the age of three.

A new report, The State of Children's Dental Health: Making Coverage Matter finds that more than half of states are doing a poor job. This report was produced by the Pew Center on the States with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the DentaQuest Foundation.

Tooth decay is a disease and is so preventable and cost effective.   For every $1.00 we spend on fluoridation of community water we save $38.00.  January 25 will mark the 67th anniversary of Community Water fluoridation, which is the practice of adjusting the naturally occurring level of fluoride to an optimal level to prevent the occurrence of tooth decay. One leading Dental expert in Tennessee summed the cost up per person as about the same cost of a candy bar, also stating that water fluoridation reduces dental decay disease by about 40%.  That's a lot of bang for a buck!

Currently 91.4% of Tennesseans have access to optimally fluoridate water, however three water departments in Tennessee have eliminated fluoridation from their water supply, costing the taxpayers and it's citizens a great deal more for treating dental diseases than it would have cost preventing the disease.  

You can be an advocate for Tennessee's children by contacting your elected officials, letting them know you want them to support polices and resources that have been proven to prevent dental decay diseases in Tennessee's children.

For more information follow the links below:

 I Like My Teeth 

Tennessee Department of Health  

What Respected Organizations and Experts Say