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.
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1. Head Start Community Forum–Head Start and
Community-Based Oral Health Programs: Enhancing Collaborations to
Improve Oral Health
This report summarizes the Head Start Community Forum held on December
4, 2006, in Washington, DC, to improve oral health by enhancing
collaborations between Head Start programs, community health centers,
and local health departments. Contents include an executive summary,
background information, an introduction and opening remarks, plenary
presentations, facilitated discussion sessions, next steps, and closing
remarks. The appendix contains the forum agenda and participant list.
[Funded by the Office of Head Start/Maternal and Child Health Bureau
intra-agency agreement]
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/PDFs/HSCommunityForum.pdf.
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2. Head Start Oral Health Curricula at-a-Glance
This matrix provides information about oral-health-related curricula
appropriate for use in Head Start programs. Each curriculum includes
(1) goals and objectives for children's development and learning; (2)
experiences or activities to meet the goals; (3) roles of staff and
parents; (4) materials, space, and equipment necessary for optimal
development and learning; and (5) sound child-development principles.
For each curriculum, the matrix specifies the title, audience, topics,
and availability.
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/PDFs/CurriculaMatrix.pdf
(to view as a PDF) and http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/CurriculaMatrix.xls
(to download as an Excel file; allows users to search and sort the
information by category).
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3. IHS Head Start Oral Health Toolkit
The toolkit contains practical ideas and resources to assist Head Start
programs in (1) meeting their performance standards in the area of oral
health and (2) planning and implementing interventions to promote oral
health for American Indian and Alaska Native children and their
families. The resources focus on dental caries prevention at three key
points of intervention: pregnancy, birth to age 2, and ages 2-5. Topics
include the written health plan; access to dental home; oral health
assessments; dental treatment; topical fluoride programs; dental
emergency plan; integration of nutrition and oral health services; oral
health education for children, parents, and staff; family partnerships;
health advisory committee; and primary prevention. The toolkit is
intended to be a companion to Oral Health for Head Start Children: Best
Practices, which presents evidence-based approaches and interventions
designed to assist Head Start administrators and staff and medical,
dental, and community health staff in working together to effectively
improve the oral health of American Indian and Alaska Native children
and their families (see #4 below).
Contact: Indian Health Service, Head Start Program, 801 Vassar Drive,
N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87106. Telephone: (505) 248-7694; Web site: http://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/HeadStart.
Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/IHS_OHToolkit.pdf.
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4. Oral Health For Head Start Children: Best Practices
This document presents evidence-based approaches and interventions
designed to assist Head Start administrators and staff and medical,
dental, and community health staff in working together to effectively
improve the oral health of American Indian and Alaska Native children
and their families. The document focuses on dental caries prevention at
three key points of intervention: pregnancy, birth to age 2, and ages
2-5. A companion toolkit containing practical ideas and resources is
also available (see #3 above).
Contact: Indian Health Service, Head Start Program, 801 Vassar Drive,
N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87106. Telephone: (505) 248-7694; Web site: http://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/HeadStart.
Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/IHS_OHBestPractices.pdf.
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5. Predictors of Oral Health Counseling by WIC Providers
This article presents findings from a survey of certified health
professionals (CHPs) involved in discussing health and nutrition issues
with parents at Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants and Children (WIC) sites in Illinois. The purpose of the survey
was to determine predictors of oral health counseling. The authors
found that WIC CHPs recognize that early childhood caries is a serious
public health problem and the important role they can play in reducing
the burden of oral disease. In addition, they found that CHPs with some
oral health training and those with a nursing background were more
likely than other CHPs to counsel clients about oral health.
Butani Y, Kuthy RA, Qian F, Lampiris L. 2006. Journal of Dentistry for
Children 73(3):146-151. Abstract available at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aapd/jodc/2006/00000073/00000003/art00005;jsessionid=s1k1wj9cxdpd.alice.
Readers: The Illinois Division of Oral Health (IDPH) used the survey
findings to develop an educational tool to help facilitate discussion
of oral health topics between WIC program staff and the individuals and
families they serve. Head Start program staff in Illinois have also
been trained to implement the tool. The tool, titled Improving Women's
and Children's Oral Health (Mejorando la salud oral de Mujeres y
Niños), is available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.idph.state.il.us/HealthWellness/oralhlth/Improving%20Oral%20Health.pdf.
Additional tools (lesson plans, self-study modules, CD-ROM) are
forthcoming.
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6. Preventive Dental Care For Children in the United
States: A National Perspective
This study used data from the National Survey of Children's Health to
(1) describe the proportion of U.S. children and adolescents in
2003-2004 with at least one preventive dental visit within the previous
year, (2) identify factors that were independently associated with
preventive oral health care use in the previous year, and (3) describe
the impact of State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
eligibility policies on preventive oral health care use. The authors
found that 62.5% of children from families with low incomes had at
least one preventive dental visit in the previous year, as reported by
their parent or primary caregiver. Children from families who indicated
that they had a doctor were more likely than other children to have
received preventive oral health care in the previous year. Children
ages 1 to 5 were less likely than older children to have received
preventive oral health care. In states that cover preventive oral
health care at income eligibility levels at or greater than 200% of the
federal poverty level through either SCHIP or Medicaid expansion,
children from families who had previously exceeded income eligibility
were more likely to have received preventive oral health care in that
state, compared with their counterparts in other states.
Lewis CW, Johnston BD, Linsenmeyar KA, Williams A, Mouradian W. 2007.
Pediatrics Electronic Pages 119(3):e544-e553. Abstract available at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/119/3/E544?etoc.
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Focus on Head Start at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/alert/index.html.
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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