Suncoast Community Health Centers Recognizes National Dental Hygiene Month, Expands Access Across Tampa Bay

RIVERVIEW, FL, UNITED STATES, September 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — October marks National Dental Hygiene Month, an annual observance dedicated to raising awareness around oral health habits. Suncoast Community Health Centers (SCHC) is using the month to spotlight preventive dental care for children, while also pointing to its broader and growing set of services across Tampa Bay.

Key Takeaways:
– October is National Dental Hygiene Month, a national observance Suncoast Community Health Centers is using to bring community attention to preventive care, including pediatric dental health.
– The observance comes as Suncoast Community Health Centers continues to expand its footprint in Tampa Bay, including newer locations in Riverview and at the Feeding Tampa Bay clinic, broadening access to primary and preventive care across the region.
– Suncoast Community Health Centers continues to serve as a no-turn-away, sliding-fee resource for Tampa Bay families, offering dental, primary, and behavioral health services depending on location.

THE STORY
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cavities are the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States. By age 8, more than half of children (52%) have had a cavity in their primary (baby) teeth, and nearly 1 in 5 children aged 6-8 have at least one untreated cavity. The CDC also notes that children from lower-income families are about twice as likely to have untreated cavities as children from higher-income families, and that cavities, while common, are largely preventable with routine dental visits and consistent daily care. Suncoast Community Health Centers is encouraging Tampa Bay families to treat October as a reminder to schedule any overdue pediatric dental checkups, alongside the daily basics of brushing twice a day and flossing.

The timing also falls during a period when families are managing a few other seasonal factors at once. Flu season ramps up in October, prompting many households to think more broadly about preventive checkups in general, and Halloween season follows closely behind, typically bringing a temporary increase in kids’ sugar intake and more attention from parents on dental hygiene routines at home.

“Preventive care is one of the most powerful tools we have, and it starts with the basics families can build into everyday life,” said Bradley Herremans, MBA, LFACHE, CEO of Suncoast Community Health Centers. “Between back-to-school routines, flu season, and Halloween candy, fall gives families a lot of reasons to get back to those fundamentals, whether that’s scheduling a physical, catching up on a dental cleaning, or just making sure brushing twice a day is part of the daily routine. Small, consistent habits are what protect health long-term.”

Alongside this seasonal reminder, SCHC is also highlighting its continued expansion across the region. The organization recently added locations in Riverview and at the Feeding Tampa Bay clinic, extending its sliding-fee, no-turn-away model to more Tampa Bay families. Across its full network, SCHC offers dental, primary, and behavioral health services, along with a range of other care options. Families can visit SCHC’s website to find the nearest location offering the specific service they’re looking for.

Q&A FOR CONTEXT
What does this mean for Tampa Bay families?
For parents managing school schedules, fall activities, and the usual Halloween candy influx, National Dental Hygiene Month is meant as a practical prompt rather than an added task. Specific to kids’ oral health, there are a few things families can prioritize: getting children in for a dental checkup and cleaning if it’s been more than six months, reinforcing brushing and flossing at home, and using the Halloween season as a natural moment to talk with kids about moderation rather than treating candy as something to avoid entirely.

How does this connect to SCHC’s broader mission?
Preventive care, including pediatric dental health, has long been part of Suncoast Community Health Centers whole-person approach, which also spans primary care, behavioral health, and other family services depending on location. The CDC notes that untreated dental disease carries a real cost beyond the dental chair, contributing to an estimated 34 million lost school hours and nearly $46 billion in lost productivity nationally each year. That kind of downstream impact is part of why SCHC treats access to preventive dental care, alongside its sliding-fee and no-turn-away model, as core to its mission rather than a separate initiative. The organization’s recent growth into Riverview and the Feeding Tampa Bay clinic reflects that same throughline: expanding where and how families can access care, regardless of ability to pay.

What happens next?
Throughout October, Suncoast Community Health Centers will continue to highlight preventive care resources available to the community, including pediatric dental services at its locations that offer them. Families interested in scheduling a visit, whether dental, primary, or another service, or learning more about SCHC’s growing list of locations, can contact the health center directly to find the site and appointment type that fits their needs.

About:
Suncoast Community Health Centers is a not-for-profit Federally Qualified Health Center that has served Hillsborough County since 1977, offering whole-person care that spans physical, mental, and financial well-being. SCHC provides adult and pediatric medical care, dental care, behavioral health, optometry, lab services, financial counseling, social services, insurance enrollment assistance, and pharmacy services. The organization accepts most insurance plans including Medicaid, Medicare, and the Hillsborough County Healthcare Plan (HCHCP), while also offering services on a sliding-fee scale to ensure no patient is denied care due to lack of insurance or inability to pay. For more information, visit suncoast-chc.org.

Megan O’Hare
Press Desk
megan@wingwomanbrands.com
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