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
December 2008
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1. Lower Columbia College Head Start Caries Risk
Assessment
Lower Columbia College
Head Start/Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program. 2007. Longview, WA: Lower
Columbia College Head Start/Early Childhood Education and Assistance
Program. 1 p.
This tool was designed for use in assessing dental caries risk in
children enrolled in Head Start. The document presents a table
containing a series of questions addressing a child's oral health
practices and behaviors, talking points for discussion, and educational
resources. Each response (yes or no) correlates to a score ranging from
1 to 5. Space is provided for recording the child's name; the date; the
total assessment score; comments and follow-up information; contact
information for the child's parent, dental hygienist, dentist, and
insurance; and the date last seen and services provided.
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.
Single photocopy available at no charge.
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2. Strategies for Promoting Prevention and Improving Oral
Health Care Delivery in Head Start: Findings from the Oral Health
Initiative Evaluation. Volume 1: Final Technical Report
Del Grosso P, Brown A, Silva S, Henderson J, Tein N, Paulsell D. 2008.
184 pp.
This report presents results from a 2-year evaluation of the Office of
Head Start's Oral Health Initiative (OHI), a supplemental grant program
to develop, implement, and disseminate best practice oral health models
that meet the needs of the communities and population they serve.
Contents include an overview of OHI and findings on the delivery of
services (outreach activities, oral health education, preventive and
treatment services, support services, oral hygiene supplies, parent
satisfaction with oral health education and services). Additional
topics include OHI funding and resources, sustainability activities,
progress toward goals, implementation challenges, emerging approaches
and strategies, and potential next steps.
Available at http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/redirect_pubsdb.asp?strSite=pdfs/OHI_Techrpt.pdf
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3. A Guide to Emerging Strategies for Promoting
Prevention and Improving Oral Health Care Delivery in Head Start:
Lessons from the Oral Health Initiative Evaluation. Volume II: Final
Report
Del Grosso P, Brown A, Silva S, Henderson J, Tein N, Paulsell D. 2008.
82 pp.
This report highlights service delivery approaches and strategies that
show promise for improving the oral health care delivery system and for
promoting oral health in Head Start. Content is based primarily on data
collected during site visits to programs funded in 2006 under the
Office of Head Start's Oral Health Initiative. The report includes
descriptions of each of the strategies and provides examples of how
grantees implemented the practices in different program settings and
with different target populations.
Available at http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/redirect_pubsdb.asp?strSite=pdfs/OHI_Finalrpt.pdf
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4. Building Better Oral Health: A Dental Home for all
Texans
Texas Dental Association. 2008. Austin, TX: Texas Dental Association.
29 pp..
This report identifies issues, needs, and challenges associated with
improving the oral heatlh of all Texans. Topics include the economic,
medical and social consequences of untreated oral disease and reasons
why Texas must take action; the oral health care system in Texas
(including school-based and Head Start preventive dental services);
state and national comparative data on the oral health status of Texas;
and the oral health disparities that exist in Texas, particularly among
populations that face special challenges accessing oral health
services. The report concludes with public policy recommendations to
expand access to oral health care in Texas, including best practices
from other states.
Available at http://www.buildingbetteroralhealth.org/media/TDA_full_report.pdf
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5. Identification
and Description of Mobile Dental Programs: A Brief Communication
Carr BR, Isong U, Weintraub JA. 2008. Journal of Public Health
Dentistry 68(4):234-237.
This study identified and characterized currently operating mobile
dental programs in California. The study identified 33 programs. A
survey response rate was 70%, from 21 program directors in charge of 23
programs. The most prevalent target populations were those with low
incomes and elementary school and preschool children. Ninety-one
percent of the programs reported serving individuals covered by
Medicaid. Sixty-one percent of program directors indicated that if
their program were discontinued, it would be "very difficult" for the
target population to get the oral health services the program provides,
while 35% indicated that it would be "difficult."
Abstract available at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120173769/abstract
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6. Instruction
in Dental Curriculum to Identify and Assist Domestic Violence Victims
Gibson-Howell JC, Gladwin MA, Hicks MJ, Tudor JFE, Rashid RG. 2008.
Journal of Dental Education 72(11):1277-1289.
This article describes findings from surveys conducted in 1996 and 2007
to explore the scope of domestic violence topics included in dental
school curricula. The authors found that inclusion of all domestic
violence topics in dental school curricula had increased over the 11
years. Three topics were of particular interest: responsibility of the
health professional, physical and behavioral indicators, and
prevalence. The authors suggest that dental educators continue to
enhance curricula by providing specific information about identifying,
interviewing, documenting, and referring individuals who have
experienced domestic violence and by using student-centered activities
vs. the traditional lecture format.
Abstract available at http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/abstract/72/11/1277
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7. Obesity and Dental Caries in Children Aged 2-6 Years
in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
1999-2002
Hong L, Ahmed A, McCunniff M, Overman P, Mathew M. 2008. Journal of
Public Health Dentistry 68(4):227-233.
This study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 to assess the relationship between childhood
obesity and dental caries. Most of the children had a normal weight
(73.9%), 11.3% were at risk for overweight, and 10.6% were obese; 42%
had at least one decayed and/or filled tooth (dft), 30% had one to five
dft, and 12% had more than five dft. After stratifying by age, gender,
race, and family income, the relationships between childhood obesity
and dental caries were not statistically significant, except among
children ages 60-72 months. Other results suggest a complex
multifactorial relationship between childhood obesity and dental caries.
Abstract available at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120120847/abstract
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8. Oral Health of Young Children in Mississippi Delta
Southward LH, Robertson A, Edelstein BL, Hanna H, Wells-Parker E,
Baggett DH, Eklund NP, Crall JJ, Silberman SL, Parrish DR. Journal of
Public Health Dentistry 68(4):188-195.
This study identified risk predictors of early childhood caries and
treatment urgency beyond minority and socioeconomic status for the
purpose of more easily identifying children within this population who
are most in need of referral to a dentist. Children ages 3-5 attending
licensed child care centers in the Delta region of Mississippi were
evaluated on a number of risk indicators, some new and some derived
from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's Caries-risk
Assessment Tool and a previous study of oral health risk predictors.
The authors identified several potentially useful oral health risk
indicators for children already known to be of high-risk status. The
findings include levels of mutans streptococci, presence of plaque,
oral-health-related quality-of-life measures, and history of parental
abscess.
Abstract available at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120173762/abstract
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9. Preventive Oral Health
Intervention for Pediatricians
American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Pediatric Dentistry and Oral
Health. 2008. Pediatrics 122(6):1387-1394.
This policy statement compiles concepts and scientific evidence to
assist primary care pediatric health professionals in addressing issues
related to dental caries and general oral health in children. Topics
include cariology, preventive strategies, and caries risk assessment.
Specific preventive strategies such as dietary counseling and optimal
use of fluorides and interprofessional collaboration and the dental
home are also discussed. Recommendations for preventive oral health
intervention are provided.
Abstract available at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/122/6/1387
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