Oral Health Alert


National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center

This and past issues of the Oral Health Alert: Focus on Head Start are available at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/alert/archives.html.

January 2007

  1. Knowledge Path: Oral Health for Children and Adolescents (electronic guide)
  2. Oral Health [Program Instruction] -- Revision
  3. Pediatric Dentistry Reference Manual
  4. Preventing Early Childhood Caries: Lessons from the Field

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Special Notice: National Children's Dental Health Month

National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM) is an annual nationwide observance throughout the month of February. NCDHM focuses on providing oral health education to all children. Local observances often include poster, coloring, and essay contests; health fairs; free oral health screenings; museum exhibits; classroom presentations; and dental office tours.

The American Dental Association (ADA) produces a program-planning kit for state and local dental societies and alliances to assist them in promotion efforts. The 2007 kit, which includes a poster, a planning workbook, suggested resources, reproducible handouts, and publicity information, is available at http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/gkas/2007_content_group.asp.

NCDHM 2007 coloring and activity sheets for children are available at http://www.ada.org/public/events/ncdhm/index.asp#fun. Classroom ideas and resources are available at http://www.ada.org/public/education/teachers/ideas.asp.

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1. Knowledge Path: Oral Health And Children And Adolescents

The 2007 edition of this electronic guide contains recent resources that analyze data, describe effective programs, and report on policy and research aimed at improving access to and the quality of oral health for children and adolescents. The knowledge path includes separate sections that identify resources on specific aspects of oral health including dental sealants, early childhood caries, fluoride varnish, Head Start, child care, school-based education, and school-based care. The final section lists oral health resources for consumers. The path is intended for use by health professionals, program administrators, educators, policymakers, and families who are interested in tracking information on this topic. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Contact: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, Georgetown University, Box 571272, Washington, DC 20057-1272. Telephone: (202) 784-9771; fax: (202) 784-9777; e-mail: info@mchoralhealth.org; Web site: http://www.mchoralhealth.org. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/knwpathoralhealth.html.

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2. Oral Health [Program Instruction] -- Revision

This revised program instruction explains the Office of Head Start’s policies and expectations regarding grantee compliance with selected oral health minimum requirements of 45 CFR 1304 Subpart B -- Early Childhood Development and Health Services. Topics include dental home, determination by a health professional, state EPSDT periodicity schedule, children determined not to be up to date, children determined to be up to date, ongoing care, oral health screenings, Medicaid state plan, and paying for oral health services. The program instruction supersedes ACF-PI-06-02.

Contact: Office of Head Start, 1250 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room 800, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 205-8347; fax: (202) 260-9336; Web site: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Program%20Design%20and%20Management/Head%20Start%20Requirements/PIs/2006/resour_pri_00109_122006.html;1166801446188.

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3. Pediatric Dentistry Reference Manual

This reference manual, produced annually as a supplement to  the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, promotes practice, education, and research related to the specialty of pediatric dentistry. The manual includes reaffirmed, revised, and new oral health policies; clinical guidelines; endorsements; and other practice-relevant resources.

Contact: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 211 East Chicago Avenue, Suite 700, Chicago, IL 60611-2663. Telephone: (312) 337-2169; fax: (312) 337-6329; Web site: http://www.aapd.org. $14.00 for members; $25.00 for nonmembers, plus shipping and handling. Also available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.aapd.org/media/policies.asp.

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4. Preventing Early Childhood Caries: Lessons from the Field

Brown et al. present proceedings from a national forum held on May 16–17, 2005, in Washington, DC, which brought together 14 early childhood caries (ECC) programs from around the United States to share experiences and help inform future efforts to prevent and reduce ECC. Information from the workshop presentations on ECC prevention approaches are presented. Topics include family services, training and support for clinical and nonclinical providers serving young chidlren and their families, and common challenges. Two tables provide (1) an overview of selected ECC programs' objectives, services, and activities; and (2) ECC programs targeting families, clinical providers, and nonclinical providers. Discussion, conclusions, and a reference list are also provided.

Brown A, Lowe E, Zimmerman B, Crall J, Foley M, Nehring M. 2006. Pediatric Dentistry 28(6):553-560.

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The Oral Health Alert: Focus on Head Start is administered by the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource
Center (OHRC) at Georgetown University.

This publication is made possible by grant number HIFMC06348 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This funding is part of an intra-agency agreement between the Office of Head Start (OHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and MCHB, HRSA. The publication's contents are the responsibility of solely the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of or imply endorsement by ACF, DHHS, Georgetown University, HRSA, MCHB, OHS, or OHRC.

Permission is given to forward Oral Health Alert: Focus on Head Start, in its entirety, to others. For all other uses, requests for permission to duplicate and use all or part of the information contained in this publication should be sent to the address below.

We welcome your submissions, suggestions, and questions. Please contact us at the address below.

Managing Editor: Katrina Holt, M.P.H., M.S., R.D.
Writer/Administrator: Jolene Bertness, M.Ed.
Editor: Ruth Barzel, M.A.

Oral Health Alert: Focus on Head Start
National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University
Box 571272
Washington, DC 20057 1272
Phone: (202) 784 9771
Fax: (202) 784 9777
E-mail: OHAlertadmin@mchoralhealth.org
Internet: http://www.mchoralhealth.org/alert/index.html


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