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Smile Programs Visits North Adams Public Schools

Ryder Rowett gets X-rays of his teeth done. The Smile Programs also offers cleanings and some restorative care like fillings. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A mobile dental program visited North Adams Public Schools last week to ensure that students had healthy smiles. 

Founded by two moms who were also dentists, the Smile Programs has been offering dental checkups at schools more more than 20 years. 

"Bringing the care to the patient's hard for families to find care providers that provide care for MassHealth and so we're kind of just bringing the care to the patients," said Dr. Dana Burkett.

Smile Programs is in 17 states and says it has have helped more than 450,000 children.

The program does a complete dental exam, cleanings, X-rays, and other preventative care. And it offers some restorative care like fillings.

School nurse leader Natalie Emery was working with the schools to help find someone who could talk with the kids about dental hygiene and found the Smile Programs. 

"In this particular area we don't have a lot of providers that accept MassHealth. Many families have to travel far, which is a barrier to receiving care, as well as kids not understanding how important it is to brush your teeth," she said.

"In the nurse's office, we see a lot of kids with poor dental care and it causes pain, it causes missed days from school and just creates further problems. So, it's a great opportunity to have them come to the school and try to prevent some of that further tooth decay and trouble down the road."

The Michigan-based program estimates more than 51 million school hours are lost a year and that 1 in 7 children are suffering from tooth pain. 

The Smile program emphasizes that by coming to the schools, children will miss less school time and parents will not have to worry about transportation or having to take time off work.

Emery says about 90 students in the district have signed up for the program and about 15 to 20 kids are seen when the mobile dentist is there. The mobile dentist went to all three schools: Drury High, Colegrove Elementary, and Brayton Elementary.

The dentists see about 20 students each time they are there and explains to them how important dental hygiene is and leaves them with a free toothbrush to go back to class and continue their day.

Emery said the schools hope to be able to bring back the Smile Programs for students.

Clarksburg Students Write in Support of Rural School Aid

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
07:25AM / Sunday, March 15, 2026

Mason Langenback calculated that Clarksburg would get almost $1 million if the $60 million was allocated equally.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Eighth-graders at Clarksburg School took a lesson in civic advocacy this week, researching school funding and writing letters to Beacon Hill that call for fully funding rural school aid. 

 

The students focused on the hardships for small rural schools and their importance to the community — that they struggle with limited funding and teacher shortages, but offer safe and supportive spaces for learning and are a hub for community connections.

 

"They all address the main issue, the funding for rural schools, and how there's a gap, and there's the $4 million gap this year, and then it's about the $40 million next year, and that rural schools need that equitable funding," said social studies teacher Mark Karhan.

 

A rural schools report in 2022 found smaller school districts cost from nearly 17 percent to 23 percent more to operate, and recommended "at least" $60 million be appropriated annually for rural school aid. 

 

Gov. Maura Healey has filed for more Chapter 70 school aid, but that often is little help to small rural schools with declining or static enrollment. For fiscal 2027, she's budgeted $20 million for rural schools, up from around $13 million this year but still far below the hoped for $60 million. 

 

Karhan said the class was broken into four groups and the students were provided a submission letter from Rural Schools Advocacy. The students used the first paragraph, which laid out the funding facts, and then did research and wrote their own letters. 

 

They will submit those with a school picture to the governor.