As families gear up for a new school year, the District Health Department No. 4 (DHD4) and Northern Michigan Public Health Alliance (NMPHA) is reminding parents and caregivers to prioritize important health screenings and services that help children succeed in the classroom.

From preschool through high school, a child’s ability to see, hear, stay healthy, and stay in school is closely tied

to preventive care and early detection, a Thursday press release from DHD4 stated. Local health departments across Northern Michigan are working together to ensure that all students start the year healthy, safe, and ready to learn.

Local health departments are offering hearing and vision screenings, dental screenings, and immunizations for children. DHD4 is also offering blood lead testing and will have a trained Community Health Worker available to connect you to community resources.

Clinics will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the following days and locations:

~ Monday at the DHD4 Alpena office, 100 Woods Circle, Suite 200;

~ Thursday at the DHD4 Cheboygan office, 825 S. Huron Street, Suite 1;

~ Friday, Aug. 8 at the DHD4 Montmorency office, 12480 State St., Atlanta;

~ Friday, Aug. 15 at the DHD4 Presque Isle office, 106 E. Huron St., Suite A, Rogers City.

To learn more or schedule an appointment at DHD4, call 1-800-221-0294 or 989-356-4507.

Vision and hearing screenings are required by Michigan law before entering kindergarten and are offered at no

cost. These quick, fun tests help detect problems early so children don’t fall behind due to issues that may go

unnoticed.

“Good vision and hearing are essential for classroom learning,” said Devin Askwig, Community Health

Director/Epidemiologist. “We want to make sure every child has the best opportunity to succeed from day

one.”

New for the 2024-2025 school year, Michigan law requires all children entering kindergarten to have a dental

screening. The Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (KOHA) helps identify cavities and other dental issues that

may impact overall health and school performance.

“Finding a dentist in our rural communities can be challenging. DHD4 aims to get children screened and help

families find a home dentist” said Elisa Dack, Community Health Director/Oral Health Coordinator.

Immunizations protect children from serious illnesses such as measles, whooping cough, and meningitis.

Michigan requires specific immunizations before a child can attend school, and your local health department

offers appointments to make it easy to get up to date.