National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety

The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center is a partner in the National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety (NCHBHS), supported by the Office of Head Start, the Office of Child Care, and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

NCHBHS provides training and technical assistance (T/TA) to the child care and Head Start community focusing on health literacy; nutrition; oral health; physical activity; developmental and behavioral services; and asthma, injury, and tobacco-use prevention. OHRC is the lead on oral health activities for the national center and works in collaboration with the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors to provide T/TA and produce evidence-based/-informed resources for Head Start program staff, families, and health professionals; these resources are designed to promote positive oral health practices and improve oral health literacy among pregnant women and families of children enrolled in Head Start programs. NCHBHS oral health activities also include supporting the Dental Hygienist Liaison project. As part of this project, a dental hygienist from each state volunteers to serve as a communication link between NCHBHS and key stakeholders in their state to promote oral health and prevent oral disease among children and pregnant women enrolled in Head Start programs. The national center is funded by a 5-year cooperative agreement from the Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families.

• A Guide to the Dental Periodicity Schedule and Oral Exam | Guía para el cronograma de periodicidad dental y el examen oral
• Applying Consultation Skills to Oral Health Promotion
• Brush Up on Oral Health | Póngase al día con la salud oral
• Checklist for Child Care Staff: Best Practices for Good Oral Health | Lista de verificación para el personal del cuidado infantil: Buenas prácticas para una buena salud oral
• Cooks Corner: Recipes for Healthy Snacks—Compiled from Brush Up on Oral Health | El rincón de la cocina: recetas para refrigerios saludables
• Dental Hygienist Liaison Project
• Getting to Know Me: Information for a Pregnant Woman’s Dental Office | Conocerme Información de su consultorio dental para su embarazo
• Getting to Know Me: Information for Your Child’s Dental Office | Conóceme Información para el consultorio dental de su hijo
• Healthy Habits for Happy Smiles | Hábitos sanos para sonrisas felices
• Helping Children Brush Their Teeth | Cómo ayudar a los niños a cepillarse los dientes
• I Like My Teeth | Pósteres sobre el flúor Me gustan mis dientes
• Oral Health Forms
• Oral Health: Tips for Families. Also available in Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Burmese, Chinese, Hmong, Marshallese, Polish, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Yiddish.
• Oral Health: Tips for Health Managers | Salud Oral: Consejos para Gerentes de Salud
• Questions to Ask When Looking for a Dental Office | Preguntas que hacer cuando busque un consultorio dental
• Resources to Make You Smile! (newsletter)
• Steps for Toothbrushing at the Table: Growing Healthy Smiles in Early Care and Education Programs (video), available with Spanish subtitles and transcript

Resources from OHRC

• Be an Oral Health Champion (poster and booklet)
• Open Wide: Oral Health Training for Health Professionals (curriculum)
• Oral Health for Maryland's Kids: A Head Start Teacher's Guide for Creating Healthy Smiles (curriculum)
• Strategies to Improve Collaboration Between State Oral Health Programs and Head Start State Collaboration Offices

Selected Websites

Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health

National Head Start Association

Office of Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

• American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Collaboration Office
• Head Start State Collaboration Offices
• Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Collaboration Office
• Oral Health
• Training and Technical Assistance Centers

Assistance from an Information Specialist

• E-mail: [email protected]