Fun Fact: Kentucky ranks 2nd in the nation for loss of natural teeth — a fact attributable to our less-than-exemplary access to proper dental services, which is itself a reflection of historic poverty, under-education, disdain of “elitist” doctors and/or a fondness for chewing tobacco. Call us old-fashioned!

That is precisely why Gov. Steve Beshear’s announcement of a cutely acronymed initiative called Access for Babies and Children to Dentistry is a kind of a big deal: The program will create ”a training curriculum to teach Kentucky dentists effective pediatric technique,” bringing the fruits of good oral hygiene to 54 applicable Kentucky counties, including 40 distressed counties located in Appalachia.

“This funding will allow us to aggressively focus on increasing the number of dentists who treat young patients by offering more and better training opportunities for these professionals, as well as providing special resources targeted at building community involvement in distressed counties in Appalachia and ensuring communities have access to needed equipment. Dental health is a key component of overall health and well-being, and we want Kentucky’s children to have the healthy start in life they deserve.” [via Gov. Beshear's immaculately luminescent chompahs]

Here’s how the $1.6 million program is supposed to work:Coordinated by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ Kentucky Oral Health Program, incentives to participate in pediatric dentistry training courses (which are otherwise very expensive for young, debt-mired dentists, thanks to our glorious health care system) will be funded by grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Twelve “local coalitions” comprised of these newly minted dentists will then coordinate treatment with respective local health departments, focusing primarily on the care of children aged 6 and younger. Once this system is in place, an array of new-fangled portable dental equipment will materialize, allowing dentists to reach patients in their own communities, schools and child care facilities.

Although the program doesn’t address the ability of Kentuckians to actually pay for these services (that “work” is being done by Congress), Vikki Franklin, a spokesperson for the Governor’s Office, says that the program’s focus on providing access to isolated rural communities offsets much of the costs associated with health care in Appalachia.

“Communities will come up with their own ways to solve their dental care needs, depending on the needs of that community” she said. “If one clinic decides that transportation is the most pressing concern for their community, then that clinic will set up a busing system” that would, for example, ferry children to the nearest county with a pediatric dentist.

If all goes as planned, ABCD will mark a major statewide effort to combat the oral holocaust that has been raging in Kentucky’s poorest areas for far too long.