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
June 2009
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1. Help Wanted: A Policy Maker's Guide to New Dental
Providers
This report presents findings from a literature review and interviews
with experts in several states about existing proposals for new oral
health professionals. The report explores three proposed oral health
professional types: dental therapists, community dental health
coordinators, and advanced dental hygiene practitioners. Topics include
research needed to develop a new oral health professional type, options for new oral health professionals, implementation steps for developing new
provider models, and tools for work force development. An issue brief
is also available.
Pew Center on the States, National Academy for State Health Policy.
2009. Philadelphia, PA: Pew Charitable Trusts. 2 items; 60 pp. report,
10 pp. issue brief. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/Dental_Report_final_Low%20Res.pdf
(report) http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/Dental_IssueBrief_final.pdf
(issue brief)
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2. National Smile Month Handbook 2009
This handbook provides information and resources to help dental
practices, schools, programs, and community groups plan a strategy for
National Smile Month, a public-awareness campaign conducted each June
to promote the importance of toothbrushing, good nutrition, and regular
dental visits among individuals of all ages. Contents address
developing campaign messages and budgets, planning a date and venue for
an event, and promoting and registering an event. Activity ideas,
research and statistics, postcards, teaching aids, and other
educational materials are provided.
Oral Health America. 2009. Chicago, IL: Oral Health Ameica. 12 pp.
Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.oralhealthamerica.org/NSMsmallHandbook.pdf
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3. Protecting All Children's Teeth (PACT): A Pediatric
Oral Health Training Program
This online module is designed to raise awareness among pediatricians
and health professionals about the importance of oral health in
infants, children, and adolescents; to increase their competence in
providing oral health guidance and preventive care; and to encourage a
shared responsibility for oral health. The module includes the
following topics: basic anatomy, oral development, screening, dental
caries, preventive care, fluoride, special needs, oral habits,
pathology, injury, oral findings, systemic diseases, and adolescent
health.
Editorial Note: The module has been approved by the Accreditation
Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical
education for physicians.
American Academy of Pediatrics. 2009. Chicago, IL: American Academy of
Pediatrics. Available at no charge from the Web site at http://www.aap.org/oralhealth/pact/index.cfm
Editorial Note: The module has been approved by the Accreditation
Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical
education for physicians.
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4. Body Mass Index of Children with Severe Early
Childhood Caries
This study was designed to clarify the association between severe early
childhood caries (S-ECC) and body weight in healthy children undergoing
dental rehabilitation for S-ECC. The authors found that (1) children
with S-ECC did not have a typical weight distribution; (2) a
significant number of children with S-ECC were underweight; and (3)
age- and gender-specific body mass index percentile was not correlated
with decayed, missing, or filled teeth or with the number of
pulp-involved teeth.
Sheller B, Churchill SS, Williams BJ, Davidson B. 2009. Pediatric
Dentistry 31(3):216-221. Abstract available at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aapd/pd/2009/00000031/00000003/art00007
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5. CenteringPregnancySmiles:
Implementation of Small Group Prenatal Care Model with Oral Health
This article describes preliminary outcomes of
CenteringPregnancySmiles, a program to integrate oral health education
and treatment into prenatal care. The program was implemented in a
rural health care clinic in western Kentucky. Program findings include
improved oral health status of pregnant women at 34-38 weeks' gestation
and possible benefits for birth outcomes (rates of preterm birth and
low birthweight).
Skelton J, Mullins R, Langston LT, Womack S, Ebersole JL, Rising SS,
Kovarik R. 2009. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
20(2):545-553. Abstract available at http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_health_care_for_the_poor_and_underserved/summary/v020/20.2.skelton.html
Editorial Note: The University of Kentucky has posted a video about
what CPS means to new parents at http://www.uky.edu/PR/Flash/Centering_Pregnancy_Smiles.html
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6. Effect
of Having a Personal Healthcare Provider on Access to Dental Care Among
Children
This study examined the relationship between having a personal health
professional (PHP) and a child's receipt of preventive dental visits or
any dental visits during the preceding year. The study also examined
whether the PHP relationship ameliorates disparities between children
living in rural areas vs. those living in urban areas. The authors
found that children with a PHP were more likely to have received
preventive oral health services and less likely to have lacked care
during a 12-month period. Children living in rural areas, regardless of
PHP status, were less likely than those in urban areas to have received
preventive care and more likely to have had no dental visit during a
year.
Martin AB, Probst J, Wang J-Y, Hale N. 2009. Journal of Public Health
Management and Practice 15(3):191-199. Abstract available at http://journals.lww.com/jphmp/Abstract/2009/05000/Effect_of_Having_a_Personal_Healthcare_Provider_on.4.aspx
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7. Infant Oral Health Examinations: Pediatric Dentists'
Professional Behavior and Attitudes
This study explored the professional behaviors and attitudes of
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) members concerning
infant oral health examinations. While approximately 84 percent of the
respondents supported AAPD’s policy and agreed that they perform these
examinations, only 53 percent reported that they see children ages 1
and younger.
Malcheff S, Pink TC, Sohn W, Inglehart MR, Briskie D. 2009. Pediatric
Dentistry 31(3):202-209. Abstract available at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aapd/pd/2009/00000031/00000003/art00005
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8. Preventive Dental Service Utilization for
Medicaid-Enrolled Children in New Hampshire: A Comparison of Care
Provided by Pediatric Dentists and General Dentists
This study assessed preventive oral health service use among children
enrolled in the New Hampshire Medicaid program. The study compared
preventive care received by children who saw a pediatric dentist with
care received by those who saw a general dentist. The authors found
that children who saw a pediatric dentist were significantly more
likely than those who saw a general dentist to have had preventive oral
health care.
Chi D, Milgrom P. 2009. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and
Underserved 20(2):458-472. Available to subscribers at http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_health_care_for_the_poor_and_underserved/v020/20.2.chi.html
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9. Use of Emergency Departments
for Conditions Related to Poor Oral Healthcare: Implications for Rural
and Low-Resource Urban Areas for Three States
This study examined oral health care-seeking patterns in emergency
departments (EDs) in Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin. The authors found
that between 1 and 3 percent of all ED visits that do not result in
inpatient care are due to oral health problems. Many of the problems
could have been prevented if oral health care had been received earlier
or were of low severity, suggesting a nonemergent concern. The authors
also found that there were significant differences by state in factors
that motivate individuals to seek oral health care in the ED.
Shortridge EF, Moore JR. 2009. Journal of Public Health Management and
Practice 15(3):238-245. Abstract available at http://journals.lww.com/jphmp/Abstract/2009/05000/Use_of_Emergency_Departments_for_Conditions.10.aspx
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