TITLE:
Saving One Smile at a Time: Oral Health Promotion in Pediatric Primary Care Practice
AUTHORS:
Deborah J. Mattheus, Charl Mattheus
KEYWORDS:
Early Childhood Caries, Oral Health Promotion, Primary Care Practice
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.4 No.6,
May
20,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Oral health continues
to be a major issue affecting children these days. Early childhood caries are
considered to be the most common chronic childhood disease in the United
States. Despite the availability of Medicaid, millions of children can still
not access a dental provider to receive proper care. Getting children in for
dental care early in their lives saves money. Children that do not receive
proper oral health care during their childhood are at higher risk for more
complex and restorative care as they age. Plans to reduce childhood caries
include more creative interventions such as oral assessment, education and
fluoride varnish application in primary care practices. Pediatric primary care
providers are trusted by parents to care for their children and have an ideal
opportunity to make a lasting impression and create behavioral changes in oral
health during their frequent contacts with children and families. Integrating
oral health promotion is a simple task with numerous benefits for children and
families, as well as primary care doctors’ offices. With proper professional
and governmental support oral health promotion programs in primary care
practice can further increase in number which can ultimately improve oral
health outcomes, save time and prevent costly dental repairs, as well as
benefit the practice through proper reimbursement.