DECATUR - When Dr. Amanda Lewis decided to begin making presentations around the area to preschool-age children about their dental health, she felt it was an opportune time to educate their parents as well.

Lewis gives each child a bag of information to take home, including a pamphlet about one of the newest ways to safeguard a child in a situation where that child might become lost or abducted.

Toothprints is an arch-shaped thermoplastic wafer that is used to make an impression of the child's teeth, recording specific tooth characteristics, tooth position within the arch and the relationship between the upper and lower jaws. Like fingerprints, dental imprints are unique to each person.

"We always tell people that we hope they never have to use it," Lewis said. "But it's just one more thing that could help at a time when not a lot is comforting you. It may help to give parents a small peace of mind."

The hard wafer is soaked in warm water until it softens, and the child bites down to capture his or her tooth impression. It is recommended for children 3 and older, and a new impression should be made about every other year, Lewis said.

She said she first heard about the impressions at a dental conference in St. Louis and thought it would be one more way to serve her patients outside of the office. It also can be useful for elderly who have the tendency to wander and could become lost, she said.

"Immediately after, we put the prints in a bag," said Molly Summers, a dental hygienist. "It captures the DNA and saliva from the child, and if there is ever a chance where a child is missing or abducted, search dogs can use the scent of the saliva."

Lewis said she doesn't have a large population of pediatric patients, but all of the children she sees have had Toothprints impressions made.

"Sometimes it's hard to get kids to bite down hard enough, but it's a lot easier than most of the impressions that we do," she said.

Courtney Klemm can be reached at cklemm@herald-review.com or 421-6968.