Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/277189
"Children as young as 1 to 2 years of age can benefit from preventive dental care," it adds. These visits consist of a visual dental exam, cleaning, fluoride treatment and dental health education in a family-friendly environment, the release notes. "It's not uncommon for people to think that 'baby teeth' don't matter," noted DOH- Sarasota pediatric dentist Zaida Marcano in the release. "However, by the second grade, children are getting their first molars. So get- ting sealants applied on the chewing surfaces of their back teeth is optimal at this age in reducing the risk of tooth decay and damage to their permanent teeth." Since April 2012, more than 1,200 low-in- come and uninsured children from five North Port elementary schools have been receiving preventive dental care at the North Port Health Center through a grant that DOH-Sarasota received from the Florida Blue Foundation, the release adds. Officials hope to secure funding to expand the program to North County, the release says. DOH-Sarasota provides for children who qualify for a range of dental care services — preventive cleanings and fluoride treatments, exams, X-rays, sealants, space maintainers, extractions, stainless steel crowns and front tooth root canals, the release points out. These services are available to those who have Medicaid and are under the age of 21. For information about eligibility, service sites and appointments, visit sarasotahealth.org or call 861-2900. The historic trolley-car concession stand at North Jetty Park, also known as "the Fish Camp," has reopened, Sarasota County has announced. After 31 years operating the Fish Camp, the previous concessionaire retired at the end of 2013, a news release explains. The new concessionaire was selected following a competitive bidding process. County staff evaluated the trolley-car structure to ensure compliance with current requirements before issuing a new certificate of occupancy and, as expected with any older building, "a few deficiencies were identified," the release points out. Staff of the county's Facilities Department "spent the last few weeks work- ing with the new concessionaire to rectify the issues," the release continues. "We know how much the community loves the historic trolley and we are very happy to see it reopen," said Carolyn Brown, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, in the release. "I would like to thank the commu- nity for being patient as we worked through the challenges that seemed to come up each time we thought we were getting close to completion." North Jetty Park, located at 1000 Casey Key Road in Nokomis, is in the final stages of a $1.4 million renovation project that began last year, the release notes. In addition to the historic trolley, the park will feature a new concession building with an eating area, a restroom compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a cistern for rain capture and repurposing of rainwater, recon- figuration of the shell parking lot for improved traffic flow and ADA-compliant sidewalks for safer pedestrian access, the release adds. For more information, visit scgov.net or contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 861-5000. NORTH JETTY FISH CAMP HAS REOPENED FOR THE PUBLIC Sarasota News Leader March 14, 2014 Page 79