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. Critical Services for Our Children: Integrating Mental
and Oral Health into Primary Care
This issue brief presents a summary of a discussion among grantmakers
and health services researchers about improving the children's health
care system by better integrating mental and oral health services into
primary care. The brief is based on a Grantmakers in Health Issue
Dialogue held on April 17, 2007, that focused on strategies for
reducing fragmentation of services and explored opportunities for
health funders. An overview of the issue, possible solutions, and
conclusion are provided. Topics include challenges to an integrated
children's health system and examples of how health funders are
addressing problems.
Contact: Grantmakers In Health, 1100 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite
1200, Washington, DC 20036-4101. Telephone: (202) 452-8331; fax: (202)
452-8340; e-mail: http://www.gih.org/feedback2666/feedback.htm;
Web site: http://www.gih.org.
Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.gih.org/usr_doc/Issue_Brief_30.pdf.
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2. Georgia Oral Health Prevention Program Fluoride
Varnish Manual: Resources and Information
This manual provides information for health professionals on the use
and application of fluoride varnish in public oral health programs in
Georgia. Guidance specific to Georgia, along with resources that have
been developed nationally, are presented. The document addresses the
following topics: why fluoride varnish should be promoted in Georgia;
the advantages, benefits, use, and application of fluoride varnish; and
who may apply fluoride varnish in Georgia. Supporting evidence;
information on ordering fluoride varnish; billing information for
Medicaid, PeachCare (the State Children's Health Insurance Program),
and care management organizations; consent forms and samples;
information for parents on fluoride varnish; a list of fluoride varnish
programs; implementation resources; and resources from other states,
agencies, and programs are also included. Electronic hyperlinks to
information are provided throughout the document. [Funded by the
Maternal and Child Health Bureau]
Contact: Linda L. Koskela, Program Director. Georgia Department of
Human Resources, Oral Health Section, Two Peachtree Street, N.W.,
Atlanta, GA 30303-3186. Telephone: (404) 657-6639; e-mail: llkoskela@dhr.state.ga.us;
Web site: http://health.state.ga.us/programs/oral/index.asp.
Available at no charge from the Web site at http://health.state.ga.us/pdfs/familyhealth/oral/fluoridemanual.pdf.
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3. Factors Associated with Access to Dental Care for
Children with Special Health Care Needs
This study examined the relationship between receipt of routine medical
care and receipt of oral health care among children and adolescents
(ages 17 and younger) with special health care needs (CSHCN) who
resided in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Parents of 76% of CSHCN
reported that their child had a need for oral health care in the
previous 12 months. Of these, 13% did not receive care. Failure to
obtain needed oral health care was associated with failure to obtain
routine medical care. Having a lower income was also associated with
failure to obtain needed oral health care. The authors conclude that
providers of routine medical care may play an important role in linking
CSHCN to oral health care and that strategies for optimizing access to
oral health care for CSHCN at all income levels are needed.
Kane D, Mosca N, Zotti M, Schwalberg R. 2008. Journal of the American
Dental Association 139(3):326-333. Abstract available at http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/abstract/139/3/326.
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4. Giving Policy Some Teeth: Routes to Reducing
Disparities in Oral Health
This review explores oral health disparities across the life span,
including disparities in oral health care for pregnant women and young
children. Public policy recommendations within the context of public
perceptions, work force issues, programs addressing inequalities in
oral health services, financing and reimbursement, and research are
addressed. The authors conclude that, despite public perception that
there is acute need for oral health care, public policies lag in
addressing this need.
Fisher-Owens SA, Barker JC, Adams S, Chung LH, Gansky SA, Hyde S,
Weintraub J. 2008. Health Affairs 27(2):404-412. Abstract available at http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/2/404.
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5. Music for Pain and Anxiety in Children Undergoing
Medical Procedures: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
This study reviewed the effects of music therapy on pain and anxiety in
children undergoing clinical (including dental) procedures. The results
show that music is effective in reducing anxiety and pain during
clinical procedures in children and adolescents. The analysis also
suggests that multifaceted interventions that include the use of music
may be more effective than music alone.
Klassen JA, Liang Y, Tjosvold L, Klassen TP, Hartling L. 2008.
Ambulatory Pediatrics 8(2):117-128. Abstract available at http://www.ambulatorypediatrics.org/article/PIIS1530156707002857/abstract.
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6. "Mind the Gap" in Children's Health Insurance
Coverage: Does the Length of a Child's Coverage Gap Matter?
This study examined how the length of the period during which a child
has no insurance affects access to health care among children from
families receiving food stamps in Oregon. Coverage gaps of any length
were associated with compromised access to health care. In most cases,
increasing length of insurance coverage gaps tended to coincide with
increasing odds of having an unmet need. In particular, this
relationship appeared to apply in cases of unmet need for oral health
care, delayed urgent care, and having no usual source of care.
DeVoe JE, Graham A, Krois L, Smith J, Fairbrother GL. 2008. Ambulatory
Pediatrics 8(2):129-134. Abstract available at http://www.ambulatorypediatrics.org/article/S1530-1567(07)00216-X/abstract.
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7. A Qualitative Study of Limited Access Permit Dental
Hygienists in Oregon
This study examined how limited-access-permit (LAP) legislation works
in Oregon and its impact on oral health care in the state from the
perspective of seven LAP-certified dental hygienists and two dentists
in the same health maintenance organization. Data indicate that the LAP
dental hygienists who participated in the study had positive
relationships with participating dentists. Study subjects did not
perceive that unsupervised practice by LAP dental hygienists resulted
in lower-quality care.
Battrell AM, Gadbury-Amyot CC, Overman PR. 2008. Journal of Dental
Education 72(3):329-343. Abstract available at http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/abstract/72/3/329?etoc.
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