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.

July 2008

  1. Early Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2006 (fact sheet)
  2. First 5 California Oral Health Education and Training Project: Final Evaluation Report
  3. Maryland Final Report Format: Follow-Up Activities to EHS/HS State/Territorial Oral Health Forums (report)
  4. Tennessee Final Report: Follow-Up Activities To EHS/HS State/Territorial Oral Health Forums (report)
  5. Populations Receiving Optimally Fluoridated Public Drinking Water -- United States, 1992-2006 (report)
  6. Examining the Safety of Dental Treatment in Pregnant Women (journal article)
  7. Rethinking the Role of Community-Based Clinical Education in Pediatric Dentistry (journal article)

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1. Early Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2006

This fact sheet uses data from the Head Start Program Information Report to describe the characteristics of children and families enrolled in Early Head Start and the services provided to them during the 2004-2005 program year. Data are presented on participants, programs, families, and staff. The fact sheet includes information on participants' ages and races, household demographics, screenings, examinations, treatment, ongoing sources of medical and oral health care, disability and special education and related services, linguistic diversity, and home-visiting services.

Contact: Center for Law and Social Policy, 1015 15th Street, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005. Telephone: (202) 906-8000; fax: (202) 842-2885; e-mail: info@clasp.org; Web site: http://www.clasp.org. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.clasp.org/publications/ehs_pir_2006.pdf.

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2. First 5 California Oral Health Education and Training Project: Final Evaluation Report

This report summarizes findings from an evaluation of First Smiles, a First 5 California Oral Health Education and Training Initiative designed to deliver education and training to health professionals and oral health professionals and to staff at community-based organizations such as WIC and Head Start. The goal of the initiative was to increase the number of health professionals willing to provide oral health education and preventive services for young children from families with low incomes and those with special health care needs, ultimately leading to increased access to services. Contents include data sources and methods and findings on the study population and outcomes presented in the following four areas: (1) knowledge gain and retention, (2) increase in self-perceived skills, (3) adoption of desired behaviors and practices, and (4) improvement in access and systems changes. Outcomes related to parent education are also presented.

Contact: Rolande Tellier Loftus, Director of Education and Training. California Dental Association Foundation, First Smiles Education and Training Project, 1201 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Telephone: (916) 554-4918; fax: (916) 498-6182; e-mail: Rolande.Loftus@cda.org; Web site: http://www.First5OralHealth.org. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.first5oralhealth.org/downloads/0/1589/First%205%20Oral%20Hlth%20Final%20Eval%20Reprt%20for%20CDAF-DHF.pdf.

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3. Maryland Final Report Format: Follow-Up Activities to EHS/HS State/Territorial Oral Health Forums

This report describes activities conducted from February through May 2008 in follow-up to the Head Start oral health forum held on May 3, 2006, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The report includes an overview of proposed activities and how they relate to the state action plan, activities accomplished, immediate outcomes, additional follow-up activities planned, and a budget explanation. Sample products are attached. [Funded in part 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: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu; Web site: http://www.mchoralhealth.org. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/MDHSFollowUp.pdf.

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4. Tennessee Final Report: Follow-Up Activities To EHS/HS State/Territorial Oral Health Forums

This report describes activities conducted in follow-up to the Head Start oral health forum held on May 17, 2007, in Nashville, Tennessee. It includes an overview of proposed activities and how they relate to the state action plan, activities accomplished, and a budget explanation. [Funded in part 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: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu; Web site: http://www.mchoralhealth.org. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/TNHSFollowUp.pdf.

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5. Populations Receiving Optimally Fluoridated Public Drinking Water -- United States, 1992-2006

This report provides an update on fluoridation in the United States and describes progress toward the Healthy People 2010 objective. Fluoridation data for the period 1992-2006 from the 50 states and the District of Columbia were analyzed. In 2006, the Healthy People 2010 target had been met by 25 states and the District of Columbia. Overall, approximately 184 million persons served by community water systems received fluoridated water; of that number, approximately 8 million received water with sufficient naturally occurring fluoride concentrations. During 1992-2006, 39 states reported increases and 10 states reported decreases in the percentages of their populations served by community water systems with optimally fluoridated water.

Bailey W, Barker L, Duchon K, Maas W. 2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports 57(27):737-741. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5727a1.htm.

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6. Examining the Safety of Dental Treatment in Pregnant Women

The article describes safety outcomes from a trial in which pregnant women received scaling and root planing and other dental treatment. Essential dental treatment administered at 13 to 21 weeks' gestation was not associated with an increased risk of experiencing serious medical adverse events, preterm (less than 37 weeks' gestation) deliveries, spontaneous abortions or fetal deaths, or fetal anomalies. Use of topical and local anesthetics for scaling and root planing was not associated with an increased risk of experiencing these adverse events and outcomes. The authors conclude that this study provides evidence that oral health professionals can safely meet the preventive and routine treatment needs of pregnant women.

Michalowicz BS, DiAngelis AJ, Novak MJ, Buchanan W, Papapanou PN, Mitchell DA, Curran AE, Lupo VR, Ferguson JE, Bofill J, Matseoane S, Deinard AS, Rogers TB. 2008. Journal of the American Dental Association 139():685-695. Abstract available at http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/abstract/139/6/685.

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7. Rethinking the Role of Community-Based Clinical Education in Pediatric Dentistry

This study describes the contribution of community- and campus-based clinical experiences to dental students' exposure to pediatric dentistry. Dental students rotating through community-based experiences as part of their curriculum had more pediatric encounters and performed more pediatric-focused procedures than they did in the dental school's (campus-based) clinic.

Thikkurissy S, Rowland ML, Bean CY, Kumar A, Levings K, Casamassimo PS. 2008. Journal of Dental Education 72(6):662-668. Abstract available at http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/abstract/72/6/662?etoc.

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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) located 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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