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. Assuring Comprehensive Dental Services in Medicaid and
Head Start Programs: Planning and Implementation Considerations
This issue brief addresses efforts to improve access to required oral
health services for children enrolled in Medicaid and Head Start. The
brief focuses on models or arrangements that include a limited set of
services -- usually oral health screening and/or prevention services --
often provided by non-dentists outside of "traditional" oral health
care delivery settings. The authors present and discuss (1) the
relationships between the models and federal regulations and policies
requiring comprehensive oral health services, (2) the potential for
unintentional or undesirable consequences, and (3) approaches for
ameliorating adverse consequences and securing access for children to a
full range of oral health services. Topics include dental caries
prevalence, distribution, and consequences in preschool children;
access to oral health services; Medicaid program purpose, scope of
services, and Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment
(EPSDT) requirements for oral health services; strategies for improving
referrals and access to comprehensive EPSDT oral health services;
unintended and undesirable consequences of alternative models; and the
dental home. A summary of federal regulations and policies affecting
alternative dental practice models and conclusions are provided.
Contact: National Oral Health Policy Center, UCLA Center for Healthier
Children, Families and Communities, 1100 Glendon Avenue, Suite 850, Los
Angeles, CA 90095-6939. Telephone: (310) 794-2583; fax: (310) 794-2728;
Web site: http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/nohpc/Default.asp.
Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/nohpc/National%20Oral%20Health%20Policy%20Center/OralCenterPubs/Dental_Services_in_Medicaid_&_Head_Start.pdf.
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2. Head Start Oral Health Resource Guide
This guide is designed to help health professionals, program
administrators, educators, researchers, policymakers, and others
address and overcome barriers to oral health care for pregnant women,
infants, and children enrolled in Head Start. The resource guide is
divided into three sections. The first section lists journal articles
appearing in the literature from January 2006 to July 2007. The second
section describes recent materials, including brochures, fact sheets,
guidelines, curricula, and reports. The third section lists federal
agencies, resource centers, professional associations, and voluntary
organizations that may serve as resources. [Funded by the Office of Head Start/Maternal
and Child Health Bureau intra-agency agreement]
Contact: HRSA Information Center, P.O. Box 2910, Merrifield, VA 22116.
Telephone: (888) ASK-HRSA (275-4772), (877) 489-4772; fax: (703)
821-2098; e-mail: ask@hrsa.gov; Web
site: http://www.ask.hrsa.gov.
Document code: MCH00233. Available at no charge; also available at no
charge from the Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/HeadStartResourceGuide.pdf.
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3. Oral Health Resource Bulletin, Volume XVIII
This resource bulletin lists recent materials related to enhancing oral
health services for pregnant women, infants, children, adolescents, and
their families. Topics include data, general information, meetings and
conferences, policy, professional education and training, programs,
public education, and state reports. [Funded by the Office of Head Start/Maternal
and Child Health Bureau intra-agency agreement]
Contact: HRSA Information Center, P.O. Box 2910, Merrifield, VA 22116.
Telephone: (888) ASK-HRSA (275-4772), (877) 489-4772; fax: (703)
821-2098; e-mail: ask@hrsa.gov; Web
site: http://www.ask.hrsa.gov.
Document Code: MCH00231. Available at no charge; also available at no
charge from the Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/ResBltnXVIII.pdf.
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4. A Conceptual Model of Parental Behavior Change
Following a Child's Dental General Anesthesia Procedure
This study investigated parents' challenges to long-term success in
maintenance of healthy behaviors following their child's dental
treatment under general anesthesia. Although an early and positive
outcome of the general anesthesia experience was a reported improvement
in oral health practices, it did not appear to affect long-term
preventive behaviors for most parents. Readiness to change seemed to be
an important predictor of whether parents engaged in preventive methods
and maintained the acquired healthy behaviors over time.
Amin MS, Harrison RL. 2007. Pediatric Dentistry 29(4):278-286. Abstract
available at http://www.aapd.org/searcharticles/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=2178.
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5. The Effectiveness of a Novel Infant Tooth Wipe in High
Caries-risk Babies
This study assessed infant and parental satisfaction with an infant
tooth wipe (Spiffies), as well as the product's efficacy in removing
plaque, among infants at high risk for dental caries. The results
suggest that using the tooth wipe is an effective method of plaque
removal before the eruption of primary molars. The wipes were highly
accepted by infants and their caregivers, especially after nighttime
feedings.
Galganny-Almeida A, Queiroz MC, Jorge A. 2007. Pediatric Dentistry
29(4):337-342. Abstract available at http://www.aapd.org/searcharticles/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=2183.
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6. Influences on Children's Oral Health: A Conceptual
Model
This article presents a multidimensional, multilevel conceptual model
of children's oral health determinants from a population-health
perspective. The model identifies genetic and biological factors,
social and physical environment, health behaviors, and dental and
medical care influencing children's oral health outcomes at individual,
family, and community levels. The model supplies a framework for
research, policymaking, and more effective resource allocation to
improve children's oral health.
Fisher-Owens SA, Gansky SA, Platt LJ, Weintraub JA, Soobader M,
Bramlett MD, Newacheck PW. 2007. Pediatrics Electronic Pages
120(3):e510-e520. Abstract available at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/120/3/e510?rss=1.
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7. Medicaid Participation by
Private Dentists in Alabama
This study examined the relationship between private dentists'
attitudes toward Medicaid and individuals enrolled in Medicaid, and the
extent of these dentists' Medicaid participation. The authors found
that dentists' perceptions of Medicaid policies, such as generosity of
payment and speed of processing payment, were keys to ensuring their
continued participation. The authors conclude that strategies to
increase the likelihood that dentists will participate in the program
and to increase the extent of participation among those already
participating must be multifaceted to improve access to oral health
services for children enrolled in Medicaid.
Al Agili DE, Pass MA, Bronstein JM, Lockwood SA. 2007. Pediatric
Dentistry 29(4):293-301. Abstract available at http://www.aapd.org/searcharticles/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=2180.
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8. Pediatric Oral Health Knowledge of African American
and Hispanic of Mexican Origin Expectant Mothers
This study assessed the impact of a lecture in English or Spanish on
children's oral health on the knowledge of vulnerable African-American
and Hispanic-Mexican-origin pregnant women. The women all took part in
the same urban community health center prenatal education program. The
lecture within the prenatal program improved oral health knowledge for
both groups of women, although associated factors varied between the
two groups. Educational attainment was associated with
Hispanic-Mexican-origin baseline scores, whereas age was associated
with African-American final scores.
Kaste LM, Sreenivasan D, Koerber An, Punwani I, Fadavi S. 2007.
Pediatric Dentistry 29(4):287-292. Abstract available at http://www.aapd.org/searcharticles/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=2179.
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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