FERNDALE, NY — State Sen. Jen Metzger took a tour of the PRASAD Project bus, which doubles as a dental office and delivers dental care to school children throughout Sullivan County.

PRASAD, which stands for philanthropic relief, altruistic service and development, operates a dental health program that Dr. Cecilia Escarra, an orthodontist and executive director of the program, said reaches some 4,000 students with dental education each year. About 1,600 make use of the dental clinic. PRASAD serves students in the Monticello, Liberty, Fallsburg, Tri-Valley and Sullivan West School Districts.

This mobile dentist office, which is often parked near the office of the Sullivan County Visitor Association in Ferndale, was made possible with the help of a grant secured by the late Congressman Maurice Hinchey.

The PRASAD Project is a not-for-profit that receives funding from a variety of sources including private individuals, corporations and New York State.

According to the PRASAD website, “In the United States, tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease. It affects one in four elementary school children and two out of three adolescents. Nationally, children lose 51 million school hours each year because of dental problems.

“Since 1998 the mission of PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program (PRASAD/CDHP) is to improve the dental health of children by providing comprehensive, high quality dental services through education, prevention, detection, and treatment.