Resource Highlights:
Focus on School Health Services
This collection of selected resources offers high-quality information about oral health services for school-age children and adolescents. Use the tools below for further searching, or contact us for personalized assistance.
For a comprehensive list of materials and websites, review Promoting Oral Health in Schools: A Resource Guide.
Selected Materials in the OHRC Library
California School Boards Association and Center for Oral Health. 2011. Integrating Oral Health into School Health Programs and Policies. West Sacramento, CA: California School Boards Association; Oakland, CA: Center for Oral Health. 68 pp.
This guidebook is designed to help school board members and administrators create a school-based oral health infrastructure. Topics include the importance of oral health; what school districts, county education offices, and boards of education can do to improve oral health among students; the policy-development process; and lessons learned. The guidebook includes sample school board policies.
Daly M, Daly N. 2011. Position Statement: Integrating Oral Health Services into Colorado School-Based Health Centers. Denver, CO: Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care. 14 pp.
This paper outlines approaches for integrating preventive oral health services into school-based health centers. It discusses (1) the need for services for identifying and treating dental caries and addressing oral health disparities and (2) the impact of caries on children's health, social welfare, education, and economic status. The paper also discusses community, school-wide, and patient-centered approaches for oral health services in school-based health centers.
Holt K, Barzel R. 2011. Comprehensive Oral Health Services for Improving Children’s and Adolescents’ Oral Health Through School-Based Health Centers. Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center. 12 pp.
This paper provides an overview of comprehensive oral health services offered in school-based health centers to assist those interested in launching and maintaining such centers. Topics include an overview and history of school-based health services, examples of national and state programs, administration, partnership and collaboration, financial and nonfinancial support, and evaluation. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]
Lowe E, Holt K. 2011. Be an Oral Health Champion: How School-Based Clinic Staff Can Help Students Achieve Good Oral Health. Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center. 4 pp.
This paper lists problems that poor oral health may cause. It also offers tips for promoting oral health with students and parents, for incorporating oral health into the school setting, and for working with others in the community. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]
Massachusetts Coalition for Oral Health. 2011. Reaching New Heights in Health With School-Based Oral Health Programs. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Coalition for Oral Health. 24 pp.
This paper addresses the role of school-based oral health programs in improving the oral health of children in Massachusetts. Topics include the prevalence of oral disease in children, community water fluoridation, topical fluoride, dental sealants, the role of school-based health professionals in programs, and types of oral health programs. Additional topics include reimbursement, informed consent, health records, referrals, infection control, and cessation of operation. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]
Michigan Dental Association, Seal! Michigan, Michigan Department of Community Health. 2012. Selecting a School-Based Oral Health Care Program: Questions and Answers for School Staff. Okemos, MI: Michigan Dental Association. 4 pp.
This handout provides guidance on choosing a school-based oral health program. Topics include why it is important for school health programs to be community-focused and why community-based programs should provide oral health services to students in schools. Additional topics include references, ownership, funding, eligibility, treatment, follow-up and emergency care, appointments, service location, equipment, supervision, quality assurance, informed consent, referral, data collection, record-keeping, and sharing of health information.
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Division of Oral Health. 2012. Public Health Manual: DHEC School-Based Dental Prevention Program (upd. ed.). Columbia, SC: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. 32 pp.
This manual provides expectations and standards for programs that enter into a memorandum of agreement with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control School-Based Dental Prevention Program. Topics include regulatory compliance, program operation, data management and monitoring, and reporting requirements.
Find more materials in the OHRC Library using advanced search.
Suggest materials to OHRC for the library.
Selected Websites
Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Oral Health Program
National Association of School Nurses
National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Find more organizations in OHRC's Organizations Database.
Resource Highlights: Focus on School Health Services. January 2013.
Reviewer: Sarah Wovcha, Children's Dental Services
