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
April 2009
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1. The Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act of
2009: Overview and Summary
This report provides an overview of key elements of the Children's
Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) of 2009 and a
summary of provisions. Topics include financing and funding for states,
reaching children who are eligible but unenrolled, eligibility rules
for children and pregnant women, coverage of parents and adults,
premium assistance, benefits and access (including a new requirement
that CHIP plans include dental coverage), and child health quality.
Information on the implementation dates of key CHIPRA provisions,
national CHIP funding levels, and state-specific allotments for fiscal
years 2009-2013 are included.
Center for Children and Families, Georgetown University Health Policy
Institute. 2009. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://ccf.georgetown.edu/index/cms-filesystem-action?file=ccf%20publications/federal%20schip%20policy/chip%20summary%2003-09.pdf.
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2. Oral Health for Children with Special Health Care
Needs: Priorities for Action --Recommendations from an MCHB Expert
Meeting
This report summarizes strategies and key partners for improving the
oral health of children with special health care needs as well as the
oral health care delivery system for this population in three priority
areas: medical home and dental home interface, education and training,
and financing. An appendix includes a list of organizations, the
meeting agenda, and a participant list.
Silva S, Zimmerman B, Holt K. 2009. Washington, DC: National Maternal
and Child Oral Health Resource Center. Available at no charge from the
Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/CSHCNExpertMeeting.pdf.
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3. Oral Health Resource Bulletin: Volume XXI -- April 2009
This document lists selected oral health resources that are available
for health professionals, program administrators, policymakers, and
educators in the maternal and child health community. It includes
sections on data; meetings; national programs; policy; professional
education, tools, and training; public education; and state and local
programs. The bulletin supplements previous volumes.
National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center. 2009.
Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource
Center. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/PDFs/ResBltnXXI.pdf.
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4. Barriers to Utilization of Dental Services During
Pregnancy: A Qualitative Analysis
This study examined why women with low incomes did or did not use oral
health services in a pilot program to promote dental visits during
pregnancy in Klamath County, Oregon. Pregnancy stressors and
oral-health-related issues were identified as barriers to using
services. Stressors included domestic relationships, personal finances,
and employment. Oral-health-related issues included women's perception
of dental experience, attitude toward oral health professionals,
importance and valuing of oral health, perceived ability to pay for
care, time constraints, and oral health professionals' and office staff
attitudes toward clients.
Le M, Riedy C, Weinstein P, Milgrom P. 2009. Journal of Dentistry for
Children 76(1):46-52. Abstract available at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aapd/jodc/2009/00000076/00000001/art00008.
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5. Development
and Status of the National Oral Health Surveillance System
This article describes efforts to help oral health programs in state
health agencies meet expectations that they document population needs
and program impact. Topics include the oral health indicators for
public health surveillance, the Web site, and progress toward universal
use of measures by states and in published surveillance reports.
Malvitz DM, Barker LK, Phipps KR. 2009. Preventing Chronic Disease:
Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy 6(2):1-7. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2009/apr/08_0108.htm.
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6. Down
Syndrome and Sleep-Disordered Breathing: The Dentist's Role
This article discusses Down Syndrome and its association with
obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It addresses considerations for oral
health professionals suspecting sleep-disordered breathing, screening
children for OSA, and severity of OSA and treatment. The authors
conclude that (1) oral health professionals should recognize the impact
of sleep impairment and the need for diagnostic testing to confirm
suspicions when evaluating a child's breathing management and (2) oral
health professionals should collaborate with a physician who is a sleep
specialist and with the child's primary physician when evaluating and
treating children with Down Syndrome and OSA.
Waldman HB, Hasan FM, Perlman S. 2009. Journal of the American Dental
Association 149(3):307-312. Abstract available at http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/abstract/140/3/307.
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7. Impact of Community-Based Oral Health Experiences on
Dental Students' Attitudes Towards Caring for the Underserved
This article summarizes findings from a survey of dental students
before, during, and after participation in community
oral-health-promotion programs that target individuals in underserved
communities. Students’ attitudes about societal expectations, health
professionals’ responsibility, access to care, and students’ personal
efficacy to positively impact the need for expanded oral health care
services for segments of the population were measured. Students
reported positive attitudes in all categories throughout the study
period. Students’ attitudes about societal expectations to care for the
oral health of the underserved remained stable over the study period,
but they became more uncertain about who should be responsible for
fulfilling that obligation, who should receive that care, and their
capability to provide that care while in dental school.
Holtzman JS, Seirawan H. 2009. Journal of Dental Education
73(3):303-310. Abstract available at http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/abstract/73/3/303?etoc.
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