Limestone County schools may help a non-profit group screen students for dental and vision problems in an effort to improve care for students from poor families.

Representatives of Sarrell Regional Dental and Eye Centers asked Limestone County school board members during a meeting Monday to work with them in establishing a center in Limestone and in letting them screen students to help reach those who are poor and without dental care.

The schools would pay nothing.

Board member Charles Shoulders, who recently toured the Sarrell Regional Dental and Eye Center in Anniston, invited group representatives to the meeting.

“I was impressed with the staff, the office, the procedures and the equipment,” Shoulders said. “They treated 35 kids the morning I was there. We are living in an area where there are a lot of children who do not have insurance and dental care.”

Brandi Parris of Sarrell said the non-profit group is the largest dental practice in the state, treating more than 35,000 patients in 2008.

“We expect to give away $300,000 in free dental care in 2009,” she said.

The group’s goal is to provide oral health to the underserved children of Alabama. It covers its costs by serving children, ages 1-20, who are eligible for Medicaid or BlueCross/BlueShield ALL Kids, Alabama’s free and low-cost insurance for kids.

Sarrell already has dental offices in Anniston, Bessemer, Boaz, Enterprise, Heflin, Leesburg Talladega and Mobile, and vision centers in Anniston, Bessemer, Boaz and Heflin.

Sarrell would need the schools to agree to cooperate with them in doing dental and vision screenings.

Sarrell representatives told board members their goal is to find a building in Limestone County — ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 square feet — with heating and air-conditioning and reasonable parking that could be leased for $1 and renovated by Sarrell as a dental /eye center. The owner of the property would agree to a 10-year-lease and get his or her property improved without having to pay for it.

Board members agreed to consider the request and make a decision later.