The Oral Health Alert: Focus on Head Start is a monthly
newsletter that provides timely information about national campaigns
and initiatives, materials, and journal articles. Past issues are available at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/alert/archives.html
October 2008
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Special Notices:
In September and October 2008, the network developmental phase of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's Head Start Dental Home Initiative was launched in six states (Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington). The purpose of the initiative is to provide high-quality dental homes for children enrolled in Head Start. State leadership and mentorship teams received information and participated in activities to establish a common knowledge base. Team members also identified strategies for engaging the dental and Head Start communities in addressing barriers to oral health and oral health care for children enrolled in Head Start. More information is available at http://www.aapd.org/headstart.
In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) has launched an online portal to materials on domestic violence and oral health. The portal was produced in collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA's) Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA's Office of Women Health, and the Indian Health Service. The portal is available from OHRC's A-Z list at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/AZ.html (select "D," after Domestic Violence select "Library").
National Dental Hygiene Month (October 2008), an observance of the importance
of oral hygiene, is sponsored by the American Dental Hygienists' Association
(ADHA). This year, ADHA focuses on oral health care for the entire family,
from infants to seniors. A poster is available at http://www.adha.org/ndhm/index.html.
More information is available at http://www.adha.org/ndhm.
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1. Dental Coverage of Children and Young Adults Under Age
21, United States, 1996 and 2006
This brief represents data from the 1996 and 2006 Household Component
of the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey on dental coverage and use of
oral health serivces for the U.S. noninstitutionalized (community)
population. Data are presented on the reported prevalence of dental
coverage and the relationship between dental coverage and service use
among children and young adults from birth to age 20.
Manski RJ, Brown E. 2008. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality. Available at http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st221/stat221.pdf
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2. Impacts of Early Childhood Programs
This set of research briefs provides policymakers with a summary of
evidence on early childhood interventions and their impact on children
and families. The briefs discuss (1) state pre-kindergarten programs;
(2) Head Start; (3) Early Head Start; (4) early childhood programs
including Abecedarian, Perry Preschool, and Chicago Child-Parent
Centers; and (5) nurse home visiting. For each, the brief explains what
the intervention is, what is its impact, and how impacts vary.
Isaacs JB. 2007. Washington, DC: Center on Children and Families,
Brookings Institution and First Focus. Available at http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2008/09_early_programs_isaacs/09_early_programs_isaacs.pdf
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3. Policy Issues in the Delivery Of Dental Services to
Medicaid Children and Their Families
This paper addresses Medicaid policy issues affecting the delivery of
oral health services to children and their families. Topics include
periodicity, screening and referral, medical necessity, financing,
practice limits, client behavior, eligibility and coverage, and waivers.
Oral Health Technical Advisory Group. 2008. Baltimore, MD: Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services. Available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidDentalCoverage/downloads/dentalqs&as092208.pdf
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4. Follow-Up Preventive Dental Visits for
Medicaid-Enrolled Children in the Medical Office
This study describes the frequency and predictors of follow-up
preventive oral health visits among children ages 3 and younger
enrolled in Medicaid seeking care in medical practices. Participating
practices were enrolled in a randomized control trial to test the
effectiveness of Into the Mouths of Babes, a North Carolina program
that trains pediatricians and family physicians to provide oral health
screenings, risk-based referrals to dentists, fluoride varnish
applications, and counseling on oral health. The authors found that
children with preventive oral health services in medical offices have
similar numbers of oral health and well-child visits, with both below
recommended numbers.
Quinonez RB, Pahel BT, Rozier RG, Stearns SC. 2008. Journal of Public
Health Dentistry 68(3):131-138. Abstract available at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120173760/abstract
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5. Opinions of Early Head Start Staff About the Provision
of Preventive Dental Services by Primary Medical Care Providers
This study examined the opinions of Early Head Start staff in North
Carolina on the ability of physicians and nurses to identify children
with oral health problems and to provide preventive oral health
services during medical visits. The study also determined whether staff
knowledge and attitudes about oral health and access to care affected
their opinions about physicians' role in oral health care. The authors
found that the majority of Early Head Start staff in North Carolina
believed that primary care medical offices can provide preventive oral
health services for young children.
Mathu-Muju KR, Lee JY, Zeldin LP, Rozier RG. 2008. Journal of Public
Health Dentistry 68(3):154-162. Abstract available at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120173759/abstract
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6. Oral Health Program Preferences Among Pregnant Women
in a Managed Care Organization
This study assessed oral health program preferences among pregnant
women who receive care from a managed care organization
(HealthPartners) in Minnesota. The study assessed women's preferences
by program topic and method of delivery. Preferences were examined
separately for individuals with public- vs. private-pay insurance.
Receiving oral health information by mail was the most preferred option
in both groups. Preferences for program topics generally favored
infant-specific topics over topics that concerned both mothers and
infants.
Thoele MJ, Asche SE, Rindal DB, Fortman KK. 2008. Journal of Public
Health Dentistry 68(3):174-177. Abstract available at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120173767/abstract
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7. Parental Perceptions of Dental/Oral Health Among
Children with and Without Special Health Care Needs
This study assessed parent-perceived oral health and oral health
problems in children with special health care needs (CSHCN), variation
in parent-perceived oral health across developmental conditions, and
factors associated with reported use of preventive care and better oral
health. A comparison group of children without special needs (CWOSN)
was included. The majority of parents described their child as having
excellent or very good oral health; however, significantly higher
proportions of oral health problems were reported by parents of CSHCN,
compared to parents of CWOSN. Most parents reported that their child
received preventive care in the previous 12 months; however, more
parents of CSHCN (vs. parents of CWOSN) reported that their child had
not received all needed preventive care.
Kenney MK, Kogan MD, Crall JJ. 2008. Ambulatory Pediatrics
8(5):312-320. Abstract available at http://www.ambulatorypediatrics.org/article/S1530-1567(08)00118-4/abstract
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8. Providing a Dental Home for Pregnant Women: A
Community Program to Address Dental Care Access -- A Brief Communication
This paper describes the initial evaluation of a community-based
intervention to provide oral health services for pregnant women with
low incomes in Klamuth County, Oregon. The program consisted of
outreach and anticipatory guidance to pregnant women served by
Medicaid, and placement with a dentist. A follow-up component ensured
that infants had a dental visit by age 1. Overall, 55.8% of eligible
women received care. Most who did not have a visit either moved or were
not the infant's caregiver. The missed appointment rate was 9%.
Milgrom P, Ludwig S, Shirtcliff M, Smolen D, Sutherland M, Gates PA,
Weinstein P. 2008. Journal of Public Health Dentistry 68(3):170-173.
Abstract available at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120173758/abstract
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9. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in
the Acceptance of Medicaid Patients in Dental Practices
This study identified factors associated with acceptance of new
Medicaid patients and determined specifically whether minority dentists
were more likely to accept new Medicaid patients. The analysis used
2001 data from the Wisconsin Dentist Workforce Survey. The authors
found that racial/ethnic minority dentists were twice as likely as
white dentists to accept new Medicaid patients. Large practices (more
than three dentists) were also more likely than small ones to accept
new Medicaid patients.
Okunseri C, Bajorunaite R, Abena A, Self K, Iacopino AM, Flores G.
2008. Journal of Public Health Dentistry 68(3):149-153. Abstract
available at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120173772/abstract
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