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
March 2009
************************************************************
1. ASTDD Basic Screening Survey for Children Planning and
Implementation Packet
This packet contains information for planning and conducting an oral
health screening of preschool- or school-age children. Contents include
a CD, a DVD, and a set of three reference guides. The CD contains a
planning guide, a presentation for examiner training, Epi Info files
for data entry and analysis, and guidance and resources on
Institutional Review Board and HIPAA compliance. The DVD contains
examiner training videos for oral- and non-oral-health professionals.
The reference guides, one each for preschool, school-age, and adult
dentition, present oral health indicators and color photos of the
scoring criteria.
Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. 2008. New Bern,
NC: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. 5 items.
Available at no charge at http://www.astdd.org/index.php?template=basic_screening.html
(order form).
Note: The CD and DVD may be replicated if you need additional copies.
Please specify the number of each of the reference guides needed if you
need more than one set. The planning guide is also available
separately, at no charge, at http://www.astdd.org/docs/BSSChildrensManual2008forwebsite.pdf.
**********
2. Increasing Access to Dental Care in Medicaid: Targeted
Programs for Four Populations
This policy brief describes strategies that several states have used to
address the oral health needs of Medicaid beneficiaries, including
young children, pregnant women, people with developmental disabilities,
and people living in rural areas. The brief also examines ways that
California's state agencies (including Denti-Cal, the state's Medical
dental program), dental associations, and universities have explored
these issues, and additional steps the state might take to build on its
efforts.
Snyder A. 2009. National Academy for State Health Policy. 34 pp.
Available at http://www.nashp.org/files/Dental_Reimbursements.pdf.
**********
3. We Like Our Teeth
This picture book encourages young children to care for their teeth.
Images show infant and adult animals celebrating their own strong,
healthy teeth. The rhyming text presents readers with the basics of
good oral hygiene. One version is in English only, and another has
parallel text in English and Spanish. The book is part of a series on
health promotion for families with young children.
Contact: Elyse April. Hohm Press, P.O. Box 2501, Prescott, AZ 86302.
Telephone: (800) 381-2700; fax: (928) 717-1779; e-mail:
Elyse_April@yahoo.com; Web site: http://www.HohmPress.com. First copy
available at no charge; additional copies (2-44) available at $5.97
plus shipping and handling; quantity discounts also available.
**********
4. Topical Fluoride Recommendations for High-Risk
Children: Development of Decision Support Matrix—Recommendations from
MCHB Expert Panel
This report summarizes recommendations on the use of topical fluoride
in preventing and controlling tooth decay from an expert panel convened
on October 22–23, 2007, in Washington, DC. The matrix was developed
primarily for a non-oral-health audience—program staff and
non-oral-health professionals in public health settings (e.g., child
care centers, Head Start programs, WIC, primary care) who work with
infants and young children from birth to age 6 who are at high risk for
tooth decay. Contents include background information, guiding
questions, the development process, and conclusion and next steps.
Topical fluoride recommendations for children are provided as
appendices. The matrix offers recommendations on the use of topical
fluoride—toothpaste, varnish, mouth rinses, gels, and foams.
Altarum Institute. 2009. Washington, DC: Altarum Institute. 20 pp.
Available at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/TopicalFluorideRpt.pdf (full report) and
http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/TopicalFluorideMatrix.pdf (decision
support matrix).
**********
5. The
Association Between Antibiotics Usage in Early Childhood and Early
Childhood Caries
This study assessed whether infants' and young children's intake of
systemic antibiotics was associated with an increased risk for early
childhood caries (ECC). The authors found that infants given systemic
antiobiotics between birth and age 1 and children given systemic
antibiotics between ages 13 and18 months had a significantly greater
risk for ECC compared to those who were not given antibiotics during
these periods.
Alaki SM, Burt BA, Garetz SL. 2009. Pediatric Dentistry 31(1):31–37.
Abstract available at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aapd/pd/2009/00000031/00000001/art00005.
**********
6. Parental Attitudes on Restorative Materials as Factors
Influencing Current Use in Pediatric Dentistry
This study assessed pediatric dentists' practice patterns and the
dentists' perceptions of parental attitudes toward the materials used
in children's dentistry. The authors found that many pediatric dentists
acquiesce to parents' wishes when challenged about the material they
had chosen to restore a posterior primary tooth. Dentists in practices
using less amalgam (relative to other practices) reported less pressure
from parents to place other materials. Dentists reported that parents'
chief concern when considering the restoration of posterior primary
teeth was esthetics. Pediatric dentists' perceptions of
contraindications for use of tooth-colored restoration material
differed widely.
Zimmerman JA, Feigal RJ, Till MJ, Hodges JS. 2009. Pediatric Dentistry
31(1):63–70. Abstract available at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aapd/pd/2009/00000031/00000001/art00010.
**********
7. The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner's Role in Reducing
Oral Health Disparities in Homeless Children
This article presents the critical oral health needs of children who
are homeless and illustrates how pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs)
can address those needs. Topics include the epidemiology of oral health
among children who are homeless, characteristics of children who are
homeless, disparities in access to and utilization of oral health
services, public insurance, the oral health work force, and dental
caries. A description and discussion of a project to provide oral
health care for underserved populations (including women and children
who are homeless), lessons learned, and implications for PNP practice
are also presented.
DiMarco MA, Huff M, Kendra MA. 2009. Journal of Pediatric Health Care
23(2):109–116. Abstract available at http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/ymph/article/S0891-5245(07)00494-4/abstract.
Back
to top
**********
8. Providing Dental Care to Pregnant Patients: A Survey
of Oregon General Dentists
This article presents findings from a statewide survey of general
dentists regarding dental treatment and anticipatory guidance for
pregnant women. Most dentists (91.7 percent) agreed that dental
treatment should be part of prenatal care. Two-thirds of dentists (67.7
percent) were interested in receiving continuing dental education (CDE)
on care for pregnant women. Recent graduates (dentists who had
graduated within the past 10 years) were more likely to agree that it
was worth their time to counsel pregnant women about the transmission
of caries-causing bacteria, compared to non-recent graduates. Recent
graduates were also more likely to have received CDE on a
pregnancy-related topic.
Huebner CE, Milgrom P, Conrad D, Lee RSY. 2009. Journal of the American
Dental Association 140(2):211–222. Abstract available at http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/abstract/140/2/211.
************************************************************
Subscribe, update information, or unsubscribe to the Oral Health Alert: Focus on Head Start at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/alert/alert_subscribe.html.