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Oral Health for Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women Knowledge Path

Introduction

This knowledge path directs readers to a selection of current, high-quality resources that analyze data, describe effective programs, and report on policy and research aimed at improving access to oral health care and quality of oral health for infants, children, adolescents, and pregnant women. The knowledge path can be used by health professionals, program administrators, educators, and policymakers to learn more about oral health, for program development, and to locate training resources and information to answer specific questions. Separate sections present resources for child care and Head Start programs as well as resources about dental caries, dental sealants, fluoride varnish, pregnancy, and special health care needs. Separate briefs point to resources for families and schools. The knowledge path has been compiled by the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) and the Maternal and Child Health Library at Georgetown University. It will be updated annually.

Overview

For the majority of Americans, oral health status has improved during the last three decades. Dental caries has continued to decrease in the permanent teeth among children, adolescents, and most adults. However, the prevalence of dental caries in the primary teeth among children ages 2–5 has increased. In addition, periodontal disease is prevalent during pregnancy, particularly among women who are racial or ethnic minorities and those with low incomes. Access to oral health care for children with special health care needs and for those from families with low incomes—both of whom experience disproportionately high incidences of oral disease—must be improved.

To help ensure optimal oral health status, health professionals need to increase individuals’ oral health literacy and to make oral health care more accessible to pregnant women, children with special health care needs, and families with low incomes. Efforts to promote more collaboration among public agencies, professional organizations, and practitioners, especially to develop or expand preventive and early intervention programs, need to be accelerated, as well.

Resources for Professionals

Websites of National Organizations

• Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Continuing education (CE) information and tools; journal articles; policies, guidelines, and position statements; state and federal legislative and regulatory news and information; and patient-education information. Includes a map that details how many workers are employed in the oral health sector in each congressional district and state, as well as the annual payroll of these employees. Some information is accessible to members only.
  
  
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). A collection of definitions, policies, clinical guidelines, endorsements, and resources for improving pediatric oral health. Also provides a press kit with facts, tips, and information about common pediatric oral health issues, journal article abstracts, and meeting and CE information. AAPD collaborates with the Children’s Dental Health Project on the Improving Perinatal and Infant Oral Health Project. Recent AAPD resources include
  
  Dental Home Resource Center. Information about the dental home concept and resources to support the delivery of oral health care to all children, with a focus on infants.
  
  Guideline on Adolescent Oral Health Care, rev. ed. (2010).
  
  Policy on School Absences for Dental Appointments. (2010).
  
  Second Opinion for Pediatric Oral Health Care. (2010). [Policy statement].
  
  Also see AAPD’s guidelines about dental caries and perinatal health.
  
  
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Children's Oral Health. Training and program information and other resources to promote improved child oral health by offering pediatricians and other child health professionals the tools and support they need to provide community-based, collaborative care. Presents information about a preceptorship program and grant projects; a database of community pediatric oral health projects; distance learning resources; a newsletter; policy statements; and a collection of fluoride resources. Recent resources include
  
  Healthy Foster Care America. Information about the range of health care issues and needs of children and adolescents in foster care, including dental and oral health. Resources include facts, statistics, policy statements, advocacy information, and a library of materials.
  
  
• American Association for Community Dental Programs (AACDP). Membership information; a newsletter; annual meeting materials; and resources to support those serving the oral health needs of vulnerable populations at the community level.
  
  
• American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD). Program information for accredited dental public health residencies, a contact list for schools of public health and public health programs, meeting information, and a newsletter.
  
  
• American Dental Association (ADA). Dental practice tools, position and policy statements, federal and state legislative information, news releases, and information about products, CE opportunities, meetings, and membership. Recent resources and initiatives include
  
  Access to Care. (2010). [Resource guide].
  
  Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry. Tools and resources for integrating scientific evidence into oral health care. Includes a database of systematic reviews.
  
  Give Kids a Smile! Information about this initiative to provide free oral health services to children from families with low incomes across the country during the first Friday in February each year. Includes a program planning toolbox. View the proceedings for the 2010 Give Kids a Smile Symposium, Raising the Momentum Through Continuity of Care: Finding Dental Homes for America’s Children (2010).
  
  Health Literacy in Dentistry: Action Plan 2010–2015. (2009).
  
  National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM). Information about this nationwide observance held every February to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Resources for oral health professionals and teachers include a program-planning guide, classroom ideas, and English- and Spanish-language posters and activity sheets for children.
  
  State Innovations to Improve Access to Oral Health Care for Low Income Children: A Compendium Update. (2009).
  
  Also see ADA’s Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry Database of Systematic Reviews; resources about dental caries and dental sealants; and the Smile Smarts! Oral Health Curriculum.
  
  
• American Dental Education Association (ADEA). Membership, meeting, and professional-development information and resources for dental educators, students in dental-education programs, and prospective students. Also offers dental-education policy and advocacy resources on topics that include federal legislation and regulation (see ADEA’s newsletter), diversity and equity, recruitment and retention, and work force issues.
  
  
• American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA). CE courses; position papers; and information about membership, programs, grants, and meetings. Recent resources include
  
  Direct Access States, rev. ed. (2010). This compilation summarizes laws by state about direct access to oral health services through dental hygienists.
  
  States Which Directly Reimburse Dental Hygienists for Services Under the Medicaid Program, rev. ed. (2010). [Compilation].
  
  
• Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD). Tools to support state and territorial oral health programs in developing and promoting sound oral health policy, increasing awareness of oral health issues, and assisting in the development of initiatives for prevention and control of oral diseases. Includes information about and links to each state and territory oral health program; a newsletter; and a list of members by state. ASTDD collaborates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the development of oral health data systems among other resources. ASTDD is also a partner in the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Policy Center. Recent resources and initiatives include
  
  Communications Plans for State Oral Health Programs. (2010). [Webinar, Communication plan template, Speaker biographies].
  
  Emergency Preparedness Protocols for State and Territorial Oral Health Programs. (2010). [Manual].
  
  Guidelines for State and Territorial Oral Health Programs, rev. ed. (2010).
  
  Best Practice Approaches. Information about proven and promising practices for developing effective state, territorial, and community oral health programs. Includes a set of reports that describe public health strategies, summarize supporting evidence, review best practice criteria, and use current practices to illustrate successful implementation methods. Also offers a database of successful state oral health public health activities.
  
  Also see ASTDD’s Safety Net Dental Clinic Manual (2003–), Mobile-Portable Dental Manual (2007), and resources about fluoride varnish, school oral health programs, and children with special health care needs.
  
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Division of Oral Health. Guidelines and recommendations, data systems, fact sheets, journal articles, and other resources to enhance oral-disease prevention in state and community settings. Resources include
  
  Community Water Fluoridation. A collection of resources about the benefits, safety, statistics, engineering support, guidelines and recommendations, and other factors to consider with community water fluoridation and other fluoride products. Recent resources include
  
  
  • 2008 Water Fluoridation Statistics. (2010). [Statistical brief].
    
    
  • Community Water Fluoridation: Questions and Answers. (2011) [Fact sheet, press release].
    
    
  Oral Health: Preventing Cavities, Gum Disease, Tooth Loss, and Oral Cancers, rev. ed. (2010). [Issue brief].
  
  State Oral Health Programs. Information about CDC funding for state oral health programs, oral health program infrastructure development tools, oral health information by state and territory, and state oral health plans.
  
  Also see CDC’s resource about school-based dental sealant programs.
  
  Other resources about oral health from CDC:
  
  Guide to Community Preventive Services: Oral Health. Contains recommendations for population-based interventions addressing dental caries, oral and pharyngeal cancers, and oral and facial injuries.
  
  Prevalence and Severity of Dental Fluorosis in the United States, 1999–2004. (2010). [Data brief].
  
  Also see CDC's Health Data Interactive, the Prevention Research Centers (PRC), and the data brief about dental caries.
  
  
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Information about Medicaid oral health coverage for eligible individuals under age 21 as a required component of the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. Includes information about the oral health services available through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and a letter to state health officials with general guidance on some of the oral-health-related provisions in the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA). Presents promising oral health practices in use by states for their Medicaid and CHIP programs. Also see the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Medicaid Primer and the Medicaid database.
  
  
• Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP). Issue briefs, policy tools, talking points, presentations, and program information about children’s oral health, with a focus on prevention, financing, public health, equity, and awareness. CDHP is a collaborating partner in the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Policy Center. Recent publications and initiatives include
  
  Increasing Access to Dental Care Through Public Private Partnerships: Contracting Between Private Dentists and Federally Qualified Health Centers—An FQHC Handbook. (2010).
  
  State Oral Health Plan Comparison Tool, rev. ed. (2011).
  
  Summary of Oral Health Provisions in Health Care Reform. (2010). [Guide].
  
  Also see the Improving Perinatal and Infant Oral Health Project.
  
  
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Oral Health. Information about and resources to support efforts to expand oral health services, education, and research in the United States. Addresses oral health work force shortages, maternal and child oral health, and oral health for people with HIV/AIDS. Resources include
  
  Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Medicaid Primer. Information to assist state and local health officials in understanding how Medicaid works and how it can ensure access to health services for underserved populations. A section is devoted to oral health services under Medicaid.
  
  Promoting and Enhancing the Oral Health of the Public: HHS Oral Health Initiative 2010. (2010). [Report].
  
  
• Healthy People 2020. Information about this national health-promotion and disease-prevention initiative of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). View the overview, objectives, and recommended interventions and resources for oral health.
  
  
• Medicaid/SCHIP Dental Association (MSDA). Links to publications, meeting presentations, advocacy materials, and other resources about state and national Medicaid and CHIP oral health policies and practices. MSDA is a collaborating partner in the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Policy Center.
  
  
• National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP): Oral Health. Issue briefs, reports, webinars, and PowerPoint presentations about improving access to oral health care for vulnerable populations. NASHP is a collaborating partner in the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Policy Center. Recent resources include
  
  Moving Forward Together: Implementing New Oral Health Provisions at the State Level. (2010). [Webinar].
  
  Reimbursing Medical Providers for Preventive Oral Health Services: State Policy Options. (2010). [Report].
  
  State Policy Considerations for Reimbursing Medical Providers for Preventive Oral Health Services. (2010). [Webinar].
  
  
• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): Children’s Oral health. Information about the role that state legislators can play in improving children’s oral health. Topics include Medicaid and CHIP, access to services, work force issues, and prevention and awareness. Describes and links to exemplary state programs in each topic area. Also links to NCSL newsletter and magazine articles and other resources that address state efforts to improve children’s oral health.
  
  
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). Oral health materials and information about research, funding, clinical trials, and training. Includes an oral and craniofacial data system, a newsletter, and resources about oral health care for individuals with special health care needs. Some resources are available in Spanish.
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Policy Center. Policy briefs and a newsletter to address ongoing disparities in children’s oral health. The policy center is a collaboration among the Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP), the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD), the Medicaid/SCHIP Dental Association (MSDA), and the National Academy of State Health Policy (NASHP) with support from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB).
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC). A searchable library of print and electronic materials. The Oral Health Resource Bulletin lists recent, noteworthy items in the library, and OHRC’s A–Z List links to materials by topic. OHRC also offers news alerts and online discussion lists, distance-learning curricula, information about oral health projects funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), and links to resources about oral health. OHRC is supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Resources include
  
  Bright Futures Oral Health Toolbox. Guides, curricula, screening and risk-assessment tools, anticipatory guidance tools, posters, education materials, and multimedia resources.
  
  Oral Health Resource Bulletin. (2010).
  
  Resource Highlights: Focus on Fluoridated Community Water, rev. ed. (2010). [Resource brief].
  
  Resource Highlights: Focus on Health Literacy, rev. ed. (2010). [Resource brief].
  
  Resource Highlights: Focus on the Dental Home. (2010). [Resource brief].
  
  Also see OHRC’s resources about Head Start, early childhood caries (ECC), dental sealants, fluoride varnish, school oral health education, pregnancy, school-based care, and special health care needs.
  
  
• National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA). Practice-management resources, webinars, and a newsletter for establishing and operating a community oral health clinic. Includes resources that address work force recruitment, retention, training, salary, and turnover rates and resources to support medical and dental collaboratives. NNOHA is a nationwide network of oral health professionals who care for patients in migrant, homeless, and community health centers. Recent resources include
  
  Dental Forms Library. A collection of forms, standard letters, policies, procedures, guidelines, instructions, and education materials used by oral health clinics. Some materials are available in Spanish.
  
  Operations Manual for Health Center Oral Health Programs. (2009). [Chapter One—Health Center Fundamentals, Chapter Two—Leadership].
  
  Survey of Health Center Oral Health Providers: Dental Salaries, Provider Satisfaction, and Recruitment and Retention Strategies. (2010). [Report].
  
  
• Oral Health America (OHA). Information about its initiatives to address oral health issues such as dental caries, dental sealants, disparities in oral health and access to care, spit tobacco, and school-based oral health care. Resources include reports, video and audio clips, and a newsletter.
  
  
• Pew Center on the States: Children’s Dental Campaign. Information about Pew’s initiative to ensure that more children receive oral health care and benefit from policies proven to prevent dental caries. Includes background information, reports, letters to Congress, testimony, statements, and an electronic newsletter. Recent resources include
  
  Cost of Delay: State Dental Policies Fail One in Five Children. (2010). [Report, Fact sheets, PowerPoint presentation].
  
  Importance of Children’s Oral Health: What Policymakers Need to Know. (2009). [PowerPoint presentation].
  
  Improving Dental Care for Medicaid-Insured Children in Washington State. (2010). [Issue brief].
  
  It Takes a Team: How New Dental Providers Can Benefit Patients and Practices. (2010). [Report, Webinar].
  
  Mid-Level Dental Care Professionals: Proven and Effective (rev. ed.). (2009). [Issue brief].
  
  Minnesota Story: How Advocates Secured the First State Law of Its Kind Expanding Children’s Access to Dental Care. (2010). [Issue brief].
  

Additional Resources from National Organizations

• DentaQuest Foundation. 2010. An Electronic Compendium of Resources for Building Oral Health Coalitions. Westborough, MA: DentaQuest Foundation. This resource guide is designed for professionals in building community-based coalitions for improving oral health. Topics include assessing needs and resources, best practice guidelines, establishing collaborations, communications and conflict, management and leadership, media outreach, planning and implementation, and policy development and research.
  
  
• Edelstein BL. 2010. Training New Dental Health Providers in the U.S., rev. ed. Battle Creek, MI: W. K. Kellogg Foundation. This report examines the interest in and need to establish new mid-level dental providers in the United States to address concerns about access to care for underserved populations. An executive summary and policy brief accompany the report.
  
  
• Government Accountability Office (GAO). 2010. Oral Health: Efforts Underway to Improve Children's Access to Dental Services, but Sustained Attention Needed to Address Ongoing Concerns. Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office. This report addresses children’s access to oral health services, including the extent to which dentists participate in Medicaid and CHIP, and federal efforts to help families find participating dentists; differences among states in the provision of oral health services to children enrolled in Medicaid, CHIP, or managed care; federal efforts to improve access for those living in underserved areas; and how states and other countries use mid-level providers to improve access.
  
  
• James G. 2010. Oral Health in Healthcare Reform. Seattle, WA: Institute for Oral Health. This conference paper describes the oral health provisions in health care reform and strategies for improving oral health care access, treatment, and delivery for underserved populations. Topics include expanding the role of dentistry, work force challenges, integrating dental and medical care through collaborative practice models, advancing quality using electronic health records, and improving health outcomes for people with diabetes.
  
  
• Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF), and the Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP). 2010. Children’s Oral Health Benefits. Washington, DC: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. This brief describes state requirements and options in CHIPRA aimed at improving the oral health of children in Medicaid and CHIP.
  
  
• Kleiner MM, Park KW. 2010. Battles Among Licensed Occupations: Analyzing Government Regulations on Labor Market Outcomes for Dentists and Hygienists. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research. This paper describes the labor market implications of government requirements on permissible tasks and the supervision of dental hygienists’ activities by dentists. Topics include the evolution of licensing for dentists and dental hygienists, the legal conditions governing permissible tasks for hygienists that impact both occupations, and the conflict that has arisen over the allocation of work and supervision of tasks.
  
  
• Parisi L, Bruno R. 2010. Dental and Mental Health: Benefit Improvements in CHIPRA. Washington, DC: Families USA. This brief describes the oral health and mental health provisions in CHIPRA, explains what states must do to comply with the law, and discusses the options that states have to expand access to dental and mental health care for children from families with low incomes.
  
  
• Shirk C. 2010. Oral Health Checkup: Progress in Tough Fiscal Times? Washington, DC: National Health Policy Forum. This issue brief reviews programs that provide oral health coverage for families with low incomes and challenges these programs face. The brief discusses progress among state Medicaid initiatives in improving children’s access to and use of oral health services. The brief also examines the potential effects of economic conditions on dental coverage for families with low incomes.
  
  
• Shortridge EF, Moore JR. 2010. Use of Emergency Departments for Conditions Related to Poor Oral Health Care: Final Report. Bethesda, MD: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis. This report examines patterns of oral heath care seeking in emergency departments in seven states. Topics include state differences in the types of oral conditions that lead individuals to seek care in emergency departments, differences in rural vs. urban areas, and differences associated with state Medicaid policy.
  

Websites of State Organizations

• Iowa Department of Public Health: Oral Health Bureau. Program information and reports about Iowa's efforts to improve the oral health of all residents. Oral health programs for pregnant women, infants, children, and adolescents include the I-Smile Dental Home Initiative, a school-based dental screening program, and an EPSDT oral health services program. In addition to a collection of oral-health-education-materials, recent resources include
  
  2010 Oral Health Survey Report: Infants and Toddlers in Iowa’s WIC Program. (2010).
  
  IDPH School-Based Sealant Program Report: School Year 2009–2010. (2010).
  
  Impact of Unaddressed Dental Disease: Emergency Room Utilization. (2010). [Brief].
  
  Inside I-Smile™ 2010: Annual Report on Iowa’s Dental Home Initiative for Children. (2010).
  
  I-Smile™ Dental Home Initiative. (2011). [Brochure].
  
  I-Smile™ Oral Health Coordinator Handbook, rev. ed. (2010).
  
  Receipt of Preventive Dental Care by Medicaid Recipients During Pregnancy: Iowa 2005–2009. (2010). [Report].
  
  
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health: Office of Oral Health. Fact sheets and reports about community water fluoridation, the dental work force, dental sealants, pregnancy, fluoride mouthrinse, and fluoride varnish. Recent resources include
  
  Public Health Dental Hygienist Toolkit. A training presentation, infection control guidelines, sample practice-management documents, clinical recommendations about dental sealants, Medicaid and health insurance reimbursement information, and other reports and resources to help a registered dental hygienist provide preventive dental services in public health settings.
  
  Oral Health Plan for Massachusetts 2010–2015. (2010).
  
  
• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: MO Healthy Smiles. Information about this program for providing oral health education and preventive treatment for infants and children in Missouri. Presents online training modules about oral health screening and applying fluoride varnish. Also see Missouri's K–12 oral heath education curriculum.
  
  
• Montana Dental Association and the Montana Oral Health Foundation. Information for professionals about Montana's Access to Baby and Child Dentistry program is on the Bright Smiles Montana: Healthy Smiles Are Happy Smiles! website, to help establish a dental home and provide preventive services to children at highest risk for oral disease. Includes a program training module, a caries-risk-assessment tool, information about the program's enhanced reimbursement system, fluoride resources, and a training module about perinatal oral health.
  
  
• New York State Department of Health: Oral Health. Information and resources about the connection between oral health and general health, oral health across the lifespan, the impact of oral disease, and New York's oral health programs and initiatives, many of which are targeted to pregnant women, infants, children, adolescents, and children and adolescents with special health care needs.
  
  
• North Carolina Division of Public Health: Oral Health Section (OHS). A collection of oral-health-education materials about oral hygiene, dental plaque, dental sealants, fluoride, nutrition, safety and first aid, and tooth anatomy and development. Some materials are available in Spanish. Includes information about North Carolina’s efforts to assess the oral health of state residents, prevent oral disease, and increase access to oral health care. Initiatives include
  
  Into the Mouths of Babes (IMB). Information about this training program for health professionals about delivering preventive oral health services to infants and children at high risk for dental caries from the time of tooth eruption until age 3. Training covers oral screening, parent and caregiver education, and fluoride varnish application. Training materials include a toolkit and newsletter.
  
  Also see the report, 2010 Special Care Oral Health Services: A North Carolina Commitment (2010).
  
  
• North Dakota Department of Health: Oral Health Program. Program information and a collection of oral-health-education materials on topics that include community water fluoridation, dental sealants, oral health during pregnancy, and oral health for children with special health care needs. The set of fact sheets, Lifetime Smiles Begin Early: Tips for Healthy Teeth (2010) presents anticipatory guidance for the oral health of infants, young children, and adolescents and covers oral hygiene, dental visits, fluoride, nutrition, and injury prevention. Also see North Dakota's fluoride varnish materials.
  
  
• Ohio Department of Health: Oral Health Section. Program information, data, reports, and education and training materials for community-based oral-disease-prevention programs and safety net oral health programs. Also presents fact sheets in English and in Spanish on topics that include fluoride varnish, ECC, methamphetamine use and oral health, oral piercings, and pregnancy. Recent publications include
  
  Help Me Smile. (2010). This online module for home visiting professionals who provide services to caregivers, pregnant women, infants, children, and adolescents presents assessment tools, anticipatory guidance, and educational materials that are useful in learning and teaching about oral health.
  
  Also see the Ohio Dental Safety Net Information Center and Ohio’s school-based dental sealant program manual.
  
  
• South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) Division of Oral Health. Materials for professionals and families on topics that include water fluoridation, fluoride varnishes, pregnancy, early childhood oral health, school-based oral health, and oral health evaluations.
  
  
• Washington Dental Service (WDS) Foundation: Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD). Program information and materials that can be used to replicate this model program focusing on preventive and restorative oral health care for infants and children from birth to age 6 who are eligible for Medicaid, with emphasis on enrollment by age 1. This ABCD program operates throughout Washington State.
  
  
• Washington State Department of Health: Oral Health Program. Program information, reports, and data; legislative information; and educational materials. Topics include community water fluoridation, topical fluoride, dental sealants, and oral care for children and adults with special health care needs. Recent resources include
  
  Dental Program for Clients Through Age 20: Billing Instructions. (2010). [Manual].
  
  Dental Sealants. (2010). [Fact sheet].
  
  School Based Dental Sealant Programs. (2010). [Fact sheet].
  
  Also see the Health Education Resource Exchange (H.E.R.E.).
  
  
• Wisconsin Oral Health Program. Program information, reports, and fact sheets on topics such as ECC, dental sealants, fluoride, healthy oral development, pregnancy, and smokeless tobacco. Also provides training resources, including samples of agency protocols for the placement of dental sealants and the application of fluoride varnish in public health settings and training materials for integrating oral-health-promotion and oral-health-prevention services into health visits. Recent resources include
  
  2010—Burden of Oral Disease in Wisconsin. (2010). [Report].
  
  Also see Wisconsin's ECC materials for use in WIC clinics.
  
  
• Many of the resources listed in the sections Websites of National Organizations and Additional Resources from National Organizations offer state-specific reports and/or state oral health program information. In addition, several items by and about state oral health programs are listed in the data and programs database sections and in the Resources on Specific Aspects of Oral Health section.
  

Additional Resources from State Organizations

• Altema-Johnson D. 2010. The Burden of Oral Diseases in Maryland. Baltimore, MD: Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Oral Health. This report provides data on oral health status for children and adults, oral cancer, tobacco use, preventive care, access to care, disparities, and education and training and describes some of the policy mandates that help shape dental practice, health quality, prevention, and access to care in Maryland.
  
  
• Costlow MR, Lave JR. 2010. Dental Coverage for Children Under Pennsylvania Medical Assistance. Pittsburgh, PA: Pennsylvania Medicaid Policy Center. This report describes child eligibility requirements, covered services, delivery of care, expenditures, and access to and quality of services for children in Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program. The report also outlines state initiatives to increase the number of Medicaid providers who deliver oral health services.
  
  
• Michigan Department of Community Health and Michigan Oral Health Coalition. 2010. Michigan Oral Health Plan. Lansing, MI: Michigan Department of Community Health. This report describes the prevalence of oral disease in Michigan and strategies to achieve accessible and affordable oral health for all Michigan residents.
  
  
• New Hampshire Oral Health Program. 2010. New Hampshire Oral Health Data 2010. Concord, NH: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. This report describes the oral health status of adults and children in New Hampshire and their access to oral health care, including preventive services. The report presents data about behavioral risk factors, fluoridation, hospital- and community-based oral health programs, school-based dental programs, the third-grade oral health survey, the cancer registry and mortality from oral cancer, the youth tobacco survey, and the national oral health surveillance.
  
  
• Public Sector Consultants and Michigan Access to Oral Health Care Work Group. 2010. A United Voice for Oral Health: Final Report and Recommendations from the Michigan Access to Oral Health Care Work Group. Lansing, MI: Public Sector Consultants. This report and call to action describes the importance of and need for greater access to oral health care for Michigan’s citizens, barriers to access, consequences of oral disease, and features of the oral health system in Michigan. The report also highlights the oral health status of state residents, disparities that exist for certain subsets of the population, and current programs and some promising practices aimed at improving access to oral health care.
  
  
• Weno, KA. 2011. Kansas Oral Health Plan: 2011–2014. Topeka, KS: Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Bureau of Oral Health. This oral health plan lists strategies for educating Kansans that good oral health is essential to overall wellness, advocating for better oral health for all populations, and ensuring that the oral health professional work force can meet the needs of all Kansans.
  
  
• West Virginia Bureau for Public Health. 2010. West Virginia Oral Health Plan, 2010–2015. Charleston, WV: West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. This report describes the burden of oral disease among children and adults (including pregnant women), both nationally and in West Virginia. The report addresses the current status of financing and work force capacity, community water fluoridation, smoking, and surveillance in West Virginia and outlines a plan to improve oral health.
  
  
• Wetterhall S, Bader JD, Burrus BB, Lee JY, Shugars DA. 2010. Evaluation of the Dental Health Aide Therapist Workforce Model in Alaska. Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI International. This report presents results of an evaluation of the Dental Health Aide Therapist initiative, part of Alaska’s Community Health Aide Program.
  
  
• Wyoming Department of Health. 2010. Oral Health in Wyoming: Final Report. Cheyenne, WY: Wyoming Department of Health. This report addresses the current status of oral health for pregnant women; children, including children with special health care needs; adults; and senior citizens in Wyoming and makes recommendations for improving the oral health status of Wyoming citizens.
  

Distance Learning Resources

• American Academy of Pediatrics: Oral Health Trainings and Videos. Video clips and modules about oral health and infants, children, and adolescents, including those with special health care needs.
  
  Oral Health in the 21st Century: Something to Smile About—Pediatrician’s Role in Oral Health. (2008). [Symposium video presentations, Slides, Poster presentations].
  
  Protecting All Children’s Teeth (PACT): A Pediatric Oral Health Training Program. (2009). [Training module].
  
  
• Maternal and Child Health Bureau: MCHCOM.com. Video and audio webcasts to support communication and collaboration between state and federal maternal and child health (MCH) professionals. Slides, transcripts, and background materials accompany each webcast. Webcasts about oral health include
  
  Accessing Oral Health Care Through WIC. (2009).
  
  Engaging Providers to Improve Perinatal and Infant Oral Health: Innovative Strategies. (2009).
  
  Medicaid Portability: Eliminating Gaps in Health Care, Optimizing Oral Health, for Migrant Children and Their Families. (2009).
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC): Distance Learning Curricula and Manuals. Curricula include
  
  A Health Professional’s Guide to Pediatric Oral Health Management. (2003). These seven self-study modules are designed to assist health professionals in managing the oral health of infants and young children, including those with special health care needs.
  
  Open Wide: Oral Health Training for Health Professionals. (2004). These four self-study modules are designed for health and early childhood professionals working in community settings (e.g., Head Start and WIC staff).
  
  Seal America: The Prevention Invention, 2nd ed. (2007).
  
  Special Care: An Oral Health Professional’s Guide to Serving Young Children with Special Health Care Needs. (2006).
  
  Also see the distance-learning curricula developed by OHRC for the Ohio Dental Safety Net Information Center and Head Start Oral Health Curricula: At-a-Glance (2008).
  
  
• Ohio Dental Safety Net Information Center. Tools and information to start and maintain the operations and delivery of health care services in safety net dental clinics in Ohio. Offers several distance-learning opportunities:
  
  Caries Prevention, Risk Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment. (2009). These five self-study modules for professionals working in safety net dental clinics in Ohio provide a framework for assessing patients’ risk for dental caries and determining prevention, treatment, and education strategies based on that patient’s risk category.
  
  Clinical Operations for Safety Net Dental Clinics. (2008). These six self-study modules address safety net dental clinic policies and procedures, human resources, health records, forms, billing and collections, purchasing and inventory management, patient appointments and care, infection control, environmental health, and safety.
  
  Financial Management for Safety Net Dental Clinics. (2008). These five self-study modules for dental clinic staff address strategic planning, revenue, expenses, managing finances, and securing external funding.
  
  Oral Health Care for Young Children. (2008). These four self-study modules are designed to help oral health professionals learn about providing care to infants and children from birth through age 3.
  
  School-Based Dental Sealant Programs. (2009). These five self-study modules address infection control, tooth selection and assessment for dental sealants, materials and application techniques, and program operations.
  
  
• University of Connecticut Health Center: Oral Health Resources for Health Professionals. Resources for physicians, residents, medical students, and other health professionals to improve their effectiveness in providing oral health services to infants and children. Materials include lectures in video clip and PowerPoint formats and case studies on topics such as teething and tooth eruption, caries etiology and risk assessment, toothbrushing, nutrition, barriers to oral health care, fluoride treatments, and the dental home. Also presents patient-education posters in English and Spanish and physician reference materials.
  
  
• Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) with American Association for Community Dental Programs (AACDP). 2007. Mobile-Portable Dental Manual. New Bern, NC: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD). This online manual presents information to create mobile and portable systems of oral health care to serve populations that have difficulty accessing the traditional system of oral-health-services delivery. The manual cross-references and links to the companion reference tool, Safety Net Dental Clinic Manual.
  
  
• Brickle C, Larkin C, Thoele MJ, Furry C. 2010. Introduction to Collaborative Dental Hygiene Practice in Minnesota. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Health. This online course for dentists and dental hygienists presents information about limited authorization dental hygiene practice in Minnesota and how to establish such a practice. The course covers collaborative dental hygiene practice definition, non-traditional practice settings, collaborative dental hygiene agreements, registering agreements, practitioner agreements, frequently asked questions, a work force survey, and direct access in states other than Minnesota.
  
  
• Deinard A, Tessier S, Johnson B. 2009. Dental Health Screening and Fluoride Varnish Application, rev. ed. Minneapolis, MN: Regents of the University of Minnesota. This course provides training in oral health screening and fluoride varnish application for primary care health professionals. The course covers the etiology and prevention of dental caries, strategies for prevention, oral health screening, the “lift-the-lip” examination (video clip), the fluoride varnish application procedure (video clip), and the billing process.
  
  
• Douglass AB, Maier R, Deutchman M, Douglass JM, Gonsalves W, Silk H, Tysinger JW, Wrightson AS. 2010. Smiles for Life: A National Oral Health Curriculum, 3rd ed. Leawood, KS: Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM). This oral health curriculum for primary care health professionals contains seven modules that address the relationship between oral and systemic health, child and adult oral health, emergencies, pregnancy, fluoride varnish, and the oral examination. Accompanying the curriculum are annotated presenter notes, video clips, an implementation guide, educational objectives, test questions, pocket cards, portable-digital-assistant applications, patient-education handouts in English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Cambodian, and posters in English and Spanish.
  
  
• Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Human Services. 2009. Oral Health Screening Online Module. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Health. This online training program for health professionals and program administrators presents information about the oral health component of Minnesota's EPSDT program. The module covers oral health screening, common oral health problems in infants and children, dental-caries-prevention strategies, and anticipatory guidance about oral health.
  
  
• Ohio Department of Health, Indian Health Service, and Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD). 2003–. Safety Net Dental Clinic Manual. Columbus, OH: Ohio Department of Health. This training manual highlights all aspects of dental clinic development as well as ongoing operations. Topics include partnerships and planning, facilities and staffing, financing, clinic operations, quality assurance, and quality improvement. The manual is continually updated. Also see the companion tool, Mobile-Portable Dental Manual.
  
  
• See the following professional associations for CE information: Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), American Dental Association (ADA), American Dental Education Association (ADEA), American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), and Special Care Dentistry Association (SCDA).
  
  
• See Websites of State Organizations and Resources on Specific Aspects of Oral Health for additional distance learning resources.
  

Databases

The databases listed below are excellent tools for identifying data, additional literature and research, and programs about oral health and infants, children, adolescents, and pregnant women. Many of the entries below contain tips on how to use the databases efficiently. Please note that databases vary in how terms should be entered; for example, some require quotation marks and others don’t. Enter search phrases as shown in bold below.

Data

• Community Health Status Indicators (CHSI). County-specific data on health status indicators obtained from a variety of federal agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Census Bureau, and the Department of Labor. Use the indicators to compare a county with counties similar in population composition and selected demographics and to characterize the overall health of a county and its citizens to support health planning. In the left sidebar, select a state and county and click on Display Data. Click on Access to Care to view the number of dentists per 100,000 people. CHSI is a service of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
  
  
• Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health (DRC). Data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, 2003 & 2007, and the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, 2001 & 2005/2006. Users can search and compare results on over 100 indicators of child health and well-being; view national, regional, and state profiles on key measures; and compare findings at all levels for children by age, race and ethnicity, income, or health status. Several indicators address oral health. DRC is a project of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI).
  
  
• Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Data Resource Center (DRC). A catalog of oral health surveys, an archive of procedures used in oral health surveys, and a data-query system for viewing oral health data from national health survey databases. DRC is a collaborative effort between the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and CDC’s Division of Oral Health. NIDCR also offers statistical briefs by topic and population.
  
  
• Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP): HCUPnet. Health statistics and information on hospital in-patient and emergency department utilization at the national, regional, and state levels. To identify data about hospital use related to oral health and infants, children, and adolescents, select National Statistics on Children. Select Researcher, medical professional. Under type of query, select Statistics on specific diagnoses or procedures. Select a year (e.g., 2006). Select Diagnoses grouped by Clinical Classifications Software (CCS). Select Principal diagnosis. Under the field, Browse all CCS categories, scroll to 136 Disorders of teeth and jaw and 137 Disease of mouth. Hold the control key or Apple command key down, and click to select both categories. Click on Next. Select the outcomes and measures of interest (e.g., Number of discharges) and click on Next. Select patient and hospital characteristics (e.g., All patients in all hospitals) and click on Next. View your results. HCUP is an initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
  
  
• Health Data Interactive. Data tables with national health statistics. Enter oral health in the Search Tables box and click on Go for data about untreated dental caries by age, race/ethnicity, and income level. HDI is a service of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
  
  
• Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Information from this set of large-scale surveys of families and individuals, their health professionals, and employers across the United States. Includes information about dental visits, type of oral health professional, treatments and services performed, and prescribed medicines. MEPS is a service of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Recent resources include
  
  2008 Dental Visits. (2010). [Data files, documentation].
  
  Percentage of Persons Unable to Get or Delayed in Getting Needed Medical Care, Dental Care, or Prescription Medicines: United States, 2007. (2010). [Statistical brief].
  
  
• National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC). Evidence-based health care quality measures and measure sets for health professionals, hospitals, and health plans to evaluate and improve the quality of health care for patients. To identify quality measures about oral health, enter the term “oral health” OR dental in the search box. Click on Search to get your results. The database is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
  
  
• Oral Health Data Systems. A collection of oral health data systems to monitor the prevalence of oral diseases and the factors influencing oral health in the United States. These systems are a collaborative effort between CDC’s Division of Oral Health and the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD). The data systems are
  
  My Water’s Fluoride. Information about the status of local water-fluoridation systems. This database is currently available only for states that voluntarily participate in the Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS).
  
  National Oral Health Surveillance System (NOHSS). Oral-health-surveillance indicators by state for dental visits, teeth cleaning, tooth loss (complete and partial), fluoridation status, dental sealants, dental caries experience, untreated dental caries, and cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx.
  
  Oral Health Maps. Indicators of oral health and preventive interventions for oral health by state or county using an interactive mapping application. Oral health indicators for children include dental caries experience, untreated dental caries, and dental sealants.
  
  Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS). A water-fluoridation-monitoring tool for state and tribal water-fluoridation program managers and oral health program directors or managers. This system requires special authorization for access. WFRS is the data source for the annual fluoridation information in the National Oral Health Surveillance System (NOHSS).
  
  Also see the Synopses of State and Territorial Dental Public Health Programs and the Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Data Resource Center (DRC).
  
  
• statehealthfacts.org. State-level data on more than 700 health topics. Click on Health Status. Scroll down on the left sidebar and select Child Access to Medical and Dental Care. Next, select Children with Oral Health Problems. Scroll further to the Oral Health section (Note: this data focuses on adults only) and make a selection. Return to the home page for another search. Select Providers and Service Use. Scroll down on the left sidebar and select Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas. Scroll further to the Dentists section to find the number of dentists overall, per capita, by gender, and by specialty field, including dental public health, orthodontics, and pedodontics. Information can be displayed as tables, graphs, or color-coded maps. This database is a service of the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
  
  
• Title V Information System (Title V IS). Data from annual Title V Block Grant applications and reports submitted by all 59 U.S. states and jurisdictions. To learn about states’ efforts to address oral health, conduct several searches. Select Measurement and Indicator Data. Under National Data, select National Performance Measures. Choose a report option (e.g., Most Recent Year Available). Select a state or region and Performance Measure #09 to find the percentage of third-grade students who have received protective sealants on at least one permanent molar tooth. Click on Start Search to get your results. Return to Measurement and Indicator Data and scroll to the section, State Data. Select State Priority Needs Keyword Search; Keyword: Oral Health; Population: Children (1 through 21); and the desired state or region to learn about programmatic efforts to improve oral health. Click on Start Search to get your results. Repeat the search and substitute Population: Pregnant Women. Return to Measurement and Indicator Data and scroll to the section, State Data. Select State Performance Measures and click on Search by Keyword/Population. Select Keyword: Oral Health and Population: Children (1 through 21). Click on Start Search to get your results. Repeat the search and substitute Population: Pregnant Women. Title V IS is a service of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB).
  

Literature and Research Databases

• American Dental Association (ADA): Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry Database of Systematic Reviews. Information on over 1,600 systematic reviews. To identify reviews, scan the topical index and click on a topic of interest (e.g., Pediatric Dentistry, Special Care Dentistry). Links to full-text reviews published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) are available, and some of the reviews are accompanied by a critical summary.
  
  
• ClinicalTrials.gov. Information about clinical research studies in human health, including oral health. Included are a summary of the purpose of the study, recruiting status, criteria for participation, location of the trial, and contact information. To identify oral-health-related studies involving infants, children, and adolescents, click on Search for Clinical Trials and select Advanced Search. Type oral health OR dental health services in the Search Terms field. Scroll to Age Group and select Child (birth–17). Click on Search to get your results. To identify oral-health-related studies involving pregnant women, click on Search for Clinical Trials and select Advanced Search. Type (oral health OR dental health services) AND pregnancy in the Search Terms field. Click on Search to get your results. To narrow either search, click on the tab, Results by Topic and make a selection to see the breakdown of your search results by topic. ClinicalTrials.gov is a service of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  
  
• Cochrane Reviews. Systematic reviews of health care interventions internationally. Provides access to abstracts that can be browsed by title or by topic such as Oral Health. Access to the full-text article requires a per-view payment or a subscription that is available in many hospital and university health sciences libraries. The database is published by the Cochrane Collaboration, an international non-profit organization based in the United Kingdom.
  
  
• Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE). Summaries of systematic reviews that have met strict quality criteria. Included reviews must be about the effects of interventions used in health care and social services. Each summary also provides a critical commentary on the quality of the review. Type (“oral health” OR dental) AND (infants OR children OR adolescents OR pregnancy) in the search field and click on Go to identify abstracts. DARE is produced and maintained by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York.
  
  
• Health Education Resource Exchange (H.E.R.E.). Online collection of public-health-education and health-promotion materials in a variety of languages. Select Find items by subject. Click on Dental and Oral Health. H.E.R.E. is developed and maintained by the Washington State Department of Health.
  
  
• Health Workforce Information Center (HWIC): Dental Occupations. Information about resources, organizations, funding, events, and news that focus on the national dental work force (i.e., dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental laboratory technicians, dentists). HWIC is operated by the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
  
  
• MCH Library at the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH), Georgetown University. Databases to collect, manage, and disseminate knowledge about MCH, with special emphasis on knowledge gained from initiatives and programs supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The library collaborates with the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) on the oral health content of its databases. The library’s bibliographic database is
  
  MCHLine^®. Online catalog of materials in the MCH Library. The OHRC Library of oral health print and electronic resources is also accessible via MCHLine^®.
  
  Also see the MCH Organizations Database.
  
  
• National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC). Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and related materials for health professionals. Identify guidelines by entering the following search phrase in the Search box: (“oral health” OR “dental health services”) AND (infant OR child OR adolescent OR pregnancy). Click on Search to get your results. NGC is an initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
  
  
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT): RePORTER. Access to reports, data, and analyses of NIH research activities, including information on NIH expenditures and the results of NIH-supported research. To identify information on the topic, conduct several searches. First, enter “oral health” infants in the search field and click on Submit query to get your results. Conduct additional searches using the following search phrases (must be searched separately): “oral health” children; “oral health” adolescents; “oral health” pregnancy; dental infants; dental children; dental adolescents; dental pregnancy. There will be some overlap in your search results. Narrow your searches by selecting a state or adding terms to other search fields.
  
  
• PubMed. More than 20 million citations for biomedical articles from MEDLINE and life science journals. Citations may include links to full-text articles from PubMed Central or publisher websites. To identify articles about oral health and pregnancy, enter the search phrase, (oral health OR dental health services) AND pregnancy. Click on Limits and make the following selections on the page: select a date (e.g. Published in the last 2 years); click on Languages: English; Click on Species: Humans; and select Search Field Tags: MeSH Major Topic. Click on Search to get your results. To identify articles about oral health and infants, children, and adolescents, conduct a separate search. Enter the search phrase, oral health OR dental health services. Click on Limits and make the following selections on the page: select a date (e.g. Published in the last 2 years); click on Languages: English; Click on Species: Humans; Click on Ages: All Child: 0–18 years; and select Search Field Tags: MeSH Major Topic. Click on Search to get your results. Add search terms to further limit your searches (e.g., (oral health OR dental health services) AND dental caries). Use the MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) database to identify search terms. PubMed is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM).
  
  
• Also see Healthy Foster Care America, the Dental Forms Library, and the NIDCR Special Care Database.
  

Programs Databases

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Prevention Research Centers (PRC). Information about research projects conducted by CDC-funded Prevention Research Centers, which work as an interdependent network of community, academic, and public health partners to conduct prevention research and promote the wide use of practices proven to promote good health. Click on Find research project descriptions that meet specified criteria. Select Health Topics: Oral Health. Click on Search to get your results.
  
  
• Community Pediatrics Grants Database. Archive of community pediatrics grant projects. Identify projects by selecting Oral/Dental Health in the topic field. Click on Advanced Submit to get your results. To narrow your search, select a target population and/or a state, territory, or country. The database is a service of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). AAP also supports oral health grants via its Community Access to Child Health Program
  
  
• Discretionary Grant Information System (DGIS). Information about more than 900 grants issued by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). To view performance measure data for four MCHB programs about oral health, select Performance Measures. Click on Program. Data about the four programs must be searched and viewed separately, as follows: (1) under Child and Adolescent Health, select Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, click on Next, select the performance measure, and click on Next to view the data, (2) under Child and Adolescent Health, select MCH Oral Health Cooperative Agreement Program, click on Next, select the performance measure, and click on Next to view the data, (3) under Child and Adolescent Health, select Children’s Oral Healthcare Access Program, click on Next, select the performance measure, and click on Next to view the data, and (4) under Training, select Pediatric Dentistry, click on Next, select a performance measure, and click on Next to view the data. To view program information about grants related to oral health, select Abstracts. Type dental dentist =oral in the search box, select Any of the words, and click on Search to get your results. To find products and publications produced by MCHB training grantees, select Program Data, click on Training, and click on Search Products and Publications. Type dental dentist =oral in the search box, select Any of the words, and click on Search to get your results.
  
  
• Health Care Innovations Exchange. Profiles of successful and attempted innovations and tools to improve health care delivery with a particular emphasis on reducing disparities in health care and health among racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. View the profiles, Dental Health Care. The exchange is an initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
  
  
• Health Services Research Projects in Progress (HSRProj). Information about ongoing health services research and public health projects. To identify projects, enter (“oral health” OR dental) AND (infant OR child OR adolescent OR pregnancy) in the search box. Click on Search to get your results. HSRProj is funded by the National Library of Medicine (NLM).
  
  
• MCH Organizations Database. Information on over 2,000 government, professional, and voluntary organizations involved in MCH activities, primarily at a national level. View OHRC’s list of links to clearinghouses and resource centers, government agencies (federal and state), foundations, Head Start–related centers and offices, policy and research centers, professional associations, programs and initiatives, and volunteer organizations. For a broader list of oral health organizations, enter “oral health” in the keyword field of the database search form. Click on Search to get your results. The database is a service of the MCH Library and the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC)
  
  
• Medicaid Benefits: Online Database. Information about benefits covered, populations served, and the limitations, co-payments, and reimbursement policies that apply to Medicaid benefits for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Under Benefits by State, choose a state or territory to get a profile that includes information about oral health services. Or, under Benefits by Service, select Practitioner Services and click on Dental Services or Medical/Surgical Services of a Dentist to get a state comparison. The database is a service of the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
  
  
• National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO): Model Practices. Information about model and promising state and local public health program practices. For effective programs to address oral health in children and adolescents, select Model Practice Database. Enter oral health in the Search by Keyword field. Click on Submit to get your results. Conduct another search by entering dental in the Search by Keyword field. Click on Submit to get your results. There will be some overlap in the results.
  
  
• State and Territorial Dental Public Health Activities. Descriptive summaries for oral health public health activities that states and territories have reported as successful within the context of their environment and resources. Contact information is given with the summaries. The database is searchable by topic and state. This database is a product of the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD).
  
  
• Synopses of State and Territorial Dental Public Health Programs (Synopses). Characteristics of and programs conducted by state and territorial oral health programs, including water-fluoridation programs, dental sealant programs, oral-health-education programs, and oral-health-screening programs. Synopses is a collaborative effort between CDC’s Division of Oral Health and the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD).
  

News and Commentary

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Oral Health E-Newsletter. This monthly newsletter provides information about research, funding opportunities, training and career development, job opportunities,
  
  
• American Association for Community Dental Programs (AACDP): The Bellwether: Leading Local Efforts to Improve the Nation’s Oral Health. This newsletter, for those serving vulnerable populations at the community level, highlights innovative or promising programs and shares information about the association’s activities.
  
  
• American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD): Communique. This newsletter presents conference and continuing education announcements and information about resources that focus on public health dentistry.
  
  
• American Dental Education Association (ADEA): Washington Update. Published monthly when Congress is in session, this newsletter reports on federal legislative and regulatory news about oral health, dental education, and dental research.
  
  
• Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD): Oral Health Matters. This newsletter reports on oral health programs, grants, meetings, and resources for public health professionals.
  
  
• Dental Public Health Discussion List. This online discussion group about dental public health is open to dental public health professionals and policymakers. It is supported by the University of Pittsburgh as a public service.
  
  
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR): News from NIDCR. Published several times a year, this newsletter reports on oral health funding opportunities, research, meetings, and publications from NIDCR and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC): Electronic Lists and Newsletters.
  
  Community Oral Health Programs Discussion List. This online discussion list focuses on the operation of local oral health programs.
  
  OHRC Announcements. This e-mail alert service highlights publications, website features, and other news from OHRC.
  
  Oral Health Alert: Focus on Head Start. This monthly newsletter highlights national campaigns and initiatives, materials, and journal articles.
  
  
• National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA): NNOHA News. This quarterly newsletter reports on meetings, resources, and success stories for and about oral health professionals who care for individuals in migrant, homeless, and community health centers.
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Policy Center: TrendNotes. This newsletter highlights emerging trends in children’s oral health and promotes policies and programmatic solutions that are grounded in evidence-based research and practice.
  
  
• Oral Health America: eNewsletter. This newsletter features oral health news, legislative updates, and links to articles and reports.
  
  
• Pew Children’s Dental Campaign: Dental News and Views. This monthly newsletter highlights recent events and resources. Contact mlyons@pewtrusts.org to subscribe.
  

Resources for Families

• See the MCH Library family resource brief Oral Health for Babies, Kids, Teens, and Pregnant Women.
  
  
• Note: The following sections of the knowledge path present resources for families and professionals about oral health and school health education, school-based and school-linked care, and child care and Head Start, dental caries, dental sealants, fluoride varnish, pregnancy, and special health care needs.
  

Resources for Schools

• See the MCH Library school resource brief Oral Health.
  

Resources on Specific Aspects of Oral Health

• Child Care and Head Start
• Dental Caries
• Dental Sealants
• Fluoride Varnish
• Pregnancy
• Special Health Care Needs

Child Care and Head Start

• California Childcare Health Program (CCHP). Fact sheets, briefs, posters, and training curricula to help child care professionals and families achieve healthy and safe practices in child care settings. Oral health resources in English and Spanish address dental caries, tooth and mouth care, toothbrush care, limiting the consumption of foods high in sugar, dental injuries, teething, and oral health for children with special health care needs. CCHP is a program of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Nursing.
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC): Head Start. A collection of resources to share with those working to improve access to and enhance the quality of oral health services for infants, children, and pregnant women enrolled in Early Head Start and Head Start. Includes materials from a series of national, professional, regional, and state forums about improving oral health status in the Early Head Start and Head Start community, a compilation of answers to frequently asked questions from Head Start program staff, and an archive of presentations about oral health in Head Start. Also includes Oral Health Alert: Focus on Head Start, a monthly newsletter about Head Start initiatives and resources. OHRC has developed materials for the Head Start community; recent publications include
  
  Be an Oral Health Champion. (2009). [Booklet, poster].
  
  Resource Highlights: Focus on Head Start, rev. ed. (2010). [Resource brief].
  
  Also see Open Wide: Oral Health Training for Health Professionals (2004), which is appropriate for Early Head Start and Head Start professionals, and Head Start Oral Health Curricula: At-a-Glance (2008). For additional Head Start oral health information and resources, see OHRC’s library of oral health print and electronic materials, including non-English-language materials, and links to Head Start–related websites.
  
  
• Partners for a Healthier Community: BEST Oral Health. Program overview and a manual for building a comprehensive preschool oral health program. Includes a video clip for health professionals and families about the benefits of fluoride varnish application (includes sign language interpretation). BEST offers oral health education, screening, and treatment to prevent dental caries among preschool-age children in Hampden County, Massachusetts, who may not otherwise have access to oral health care.
  
  
• Project Ready Smile: Children’s Oral Health Initiative. Program information and materials for this initiative to improve the oral health of infants and children from birth to age 6 from families with low incomes residing in selected counties in Kansas and Missouri and enrolled in early-childhood-education programs. Services include oral health screenings, fluoride-varnish applications, referrals for free oral health treatment and care, and oral health education. Project Ready Smile is part of the REACH Healthcare Foundation.
  
  
• South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Division of Oral Health: Early Childhood Oral Health. A resource guide, curricula, presentation materials, and other educational materials for child care professionals, early childhood educators, and parents to prevent oral diseases and oral injuries and to teach young children about their mouths and how to take care of their teeth.
  
  
• Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS). 2010. A “High-Touch” Approach to Improving Oral Health for Newark Children. Hamilton, NJ: Center for Health Care Strategies. This brief describes the New Jersey Smiles program, which engaged the New Jersey Medicaid agency, health plans, and other regional partners to improve access to oral health care for children from families with low incomes. The brief describes how the program successfully worked with Newark Head Start programs and community dentists to increase the number of preschool children completing dental visits and establishing dental homes.
  
  
• Hoffmann E. 2010. Early Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2009. Washington, DC: Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). This fact sheet presents statistics about children enrolled in Early Head Start and their families and the services provided to them, including oral health services.
  
  
• Massachusetts Head Start Association. 2010. Oral Health for Head Start Families. Needham, MA: Massachusetts Head Start Association. This guide for families emphasizes the importance of establishing good oral health habits at an early age and maintaining them throughout life. Topics include primary teeth and tooth decay, checking for white spots, infection, oral hygiene during pregnancy and infancy, toothbrushing and toothbrush care, bottles and cups, snacking, medicine, and the first dental visit. The guide is available in several languages: English, Arabic, Chinese (traditional), Haitian Creole, Khmer, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Portuguese Cape Verde, Russian, Somali, and Spanish.
  
  
• National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants (NTI). 2007. Healthy Smiles Through Child Care Health Consultation: A Distance Learning Course. Chapel Hill, NC: National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants (NTI). This online course about infant and child oral health is designed for child care health consultants. Topics address tooth development, major oral diseases, prevention strategies, access to oral health care, techniques for oral health promotion, and oral health for children with special health care needs.
  
  
• Neese-Todd S, Stanley B, Marino L. 2010. A Guide to Improving Children’s Oral Health Care: Tools for the Head Start Community. Hamilton, NJ: Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS). This toolkit is designed to help Early Head Start and Head Start program staff work with the New Jersey Medicaid agency, health maintenance organizations, and community oral health professionals to ensure continuous and comprehensive oral health care for children from families with low incomes. Contents include an overview of oral health in children, establishing dental homes for children, strategies for engaging families in care, and activities for the classroom.
  
  
• Office of Head Start (OHS). 2006. Program Instruction in Oral Health, rev. ed. Washington, DC: Administration for Children and Families (ACF). These guidelines explain OHS policies and expectations for grantee compliance with selected oral health requirements. The guidelines are also available in Spanish.
  
  
• Slichta A, Cusick A. 2010. Foundation Collaboration: Partnering to Improve Young Children’s Oral Health. Washington, DC: Grantmakers in Health. This brief describes efforts in western and central New York state to improve oral health outcomes for children through collaboration with community partners to bring oral health education, prevention, and treatment to Head Start and child care settings.
  
  
• Also see First Smiles, the section Websites of State Organizations, and the MCH Library family resource brief, Oral Health for Babies, Kids, Teens, and Pregnant Women, for additional materials that can be used in child care and Head Start settings.
  

Dental Caries

• American Dental Association (ADA): Caries. Journal articles, caries-risk-assessment forms, panel report, policy statement, public service announcement, and clinical recommendations for oral health professionals about dental caries.
  
  
• Center to Address Disparities in Children’s Oral Health (CAN DO Center). Information about research programs to understand, prevent, and reduce oral health disparities among young children. CAN DO’s primary focus is preventing ECC. CAN DO is located at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry.
  
  
• First Smiles. Education resources and training tools for oral health, health, and early-childhood-education professionals, as well as materials for parents of young children, including those with special health care needs, on the prevention of ECC. Includes a resource guide for creating, implementing, and evaluating community-based oral health programs for young children in rural areas. Also presents a brochure for families, Healthy Teeth Begin at Birth (2005) which is available in 10 languages. First Smiles was a joint effort of the California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation and the Dental Health Foundation that ended in 2008. View the initiative’s final evaluation report.
  
  
• Indian Health Service: Early Childhood Caries Initiative. Background information, training modules, presentations, and tools needed to understand and implement this initiative to educate health and oral health professionals, Head Start staff, WIC program staff, and community members about ECC prevention and early intervention. Program components include oral health assessments, fluoride varnish applications, dental sealant applications, interim therapeutic restorations, and the establishment of a surveillance system to measure the impact of the initiative.
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC): Early Childhood Caries. Resource guides, a fact sheet, and links to training tools about ECC. Recent resources include
  
  Resource Highlights: Focus on Early Childhood Caries, rev. ed. (2010).
  
  
• Wisconsin Oral Health Program: Oral Health, WIC, and WDA Collaboration. A flip chart and screening guide to incorporate oral health education in WIC clinics.
  
  
• See the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) Guideline on Caries-Risk Assessment and Management for Infants, Children, and Adolescents, rev. ed. (2010).
  
  
• See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data brief, Untreated Dental Caries (Cavities) in Children Ages 2–19, United States (2010).
  
  
• Several resources listed in the section Websites of State Organizations address dental caries.
  

Dental Sealants

• American Dental Association (ADA): Dental Sealants. Evidence-based clinical recommendations for oral health professionals about dental sealants.
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC): Dental Sealants. Resource guides, a fact sheet, and training tools about dental sealants. Recent resources include
  
  Dental Sealants: A Resource Guide, 3rd ed. (2010).
  
  Preventing Tooth Decay and Saving Teeth with Dental Sealants, 3rd ed. (2010). [Fact sheet].
  
  Resource Highlights: Focus on Dental Sealants, rev. ed. (2010). [Resource brief].
  
  
• Several resources listed in the section Websites of State Organizations offer information about dental sealants. The school resource brief Oral Health includes resources about school-based dental sealant programs.
  

Fluoride Varnish

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Oral Health Practice Tools. Information on providing an oral health risk assessment, counseling, fluoride varnish as part of the well child exam. Includes a fluoride varnish product list and instructions for families in English, Spanish, Cambodian, Hmong, Oromo, Russian, Somali, and Vietnamese; and a map with information about Medicaid reimbursement for oral health screening and fluoride varnish application by state.
  
  
• Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP): Bright Smiles from Birth. Information about this educational program that provides guidelines and support to health and oral health professionals and families to make oral health a component of well child visits. Resources include an oral health screening checklist, consent forms, a fluoride varnish application protocol, instructions for families, a caries risk assessment tool, coding and billing information, and general information about oral health and fluoride. Resources include
  
  Bright Smiles from Birth Training Video. (2010). This video clip shows how to perform a child oral health assessment and apply fluoride varnish.
  
  
• Maryland’s Mouths Matter: Fluoride Varnish and Oral Health Screening Program for Kids. Program manual, training tools, information about Medicaid billing and reimbursement, sample forms, brochures, and other resources for EPSDT health professionals in Maryland. Recent resources include
  
  Fluoride Varnish and Oral Health Screening Program for Kids—Training for EPSDT Medical Providers in Maryland. (2010). [Online curriculum].
  
  
• Massachusetts Office of Oral Health: BLOCK Oral Disease Educational Materials and Trainings. Presents an online fluoride varnish training presentation for health professionals. Includes fluoride varnish information and consent forms in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Russian, and Albanian.
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC): Fluoride Varnish. Resource guides, a fact sheet, and a training tool about fluoride varnish. Recent resources include
  
  Fluoride Varnish: An Effective Tool for Preventing Dental Caries. (2010). [Fact sheet].
  
  Fluoride Varnish: A Resource Guide. (2010).
  
  Resource Highlight: Focus on Fluoride Varnish. (2010). [Resource brief].
  
  
• North Dakota Oral Health Program: Fluoride Varnish. A brochure for parents about fluoride varnish, a guide for conducting an oral health assessment and applying fluoride varnish, a caries risk assessment tool, Medicaid reimbursement guidelines, the North Dakota legal authorities to apply fluoride varnish, a sample parental consent form, a sample standing medical order, and a supply list.
  
  
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 2010. Early Childhood Oral Health—Primary Care Providers: What You Need to Know About Fluoride Varnish and How You Can Promote Early Childhood Oral Health. New York, NY: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. This booklet describes how to conduct a pediatric oral health risk assessment and apply fluoride varnish.
  
  
• See the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) Fluoride Varnish Policy Statement (2010).
  
  
• Also see the online training courses, Dental Health Screening and Fluoride Varnish Application, rev. ed (2009) and Smiles for Life: A National Oral Health Curriculum, 3rd ed. (2010). Several resources listed in the section Websites of State Organizations offer information about fluoride varnish.
  

Pregnancy

• Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP): Improving Perinatal and Infant Oral Health Project. Information about the activities and accomplishments of this program to promote the oral health of pregnant women and children and to increase awareness of the importance of perinatal and infant oral health among health professionals, policymakers, and the public. The project is a collaborative effort between CDHP and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). Recent resources include
  
  Improving Access to Perinatal Oral Health Care: Strategies and Considerations for Health Plans. (2010). [Issue brief]. Developed in collaboration with the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation.
  
  Promoting Oral Health Through Policy and Partnerships. (2010). [Webinar].
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC): Perinatal. A policy brief, resource guides, fact sheet, guidelines, and meeting materials about pregnancy and periodontal health. Recent resources include
  
  Resource Highlights: Focus on Pregnancy and Periodontal Health, rev. ed. (2010). [Resource brief].
  
  
• California Dental Association Foundation. 2010. Oral Health During Pregnancy and Early Childhood: Evidence-Based Guidelines for Health Professionals. Sacramento, CA: California Dental Association Foundation. These guidelines are designed to help health professionals deliver oral health services to pregnant women and young children. Topics include the importance of oral health; maternal physiological considerations related to oral health; pregnancy, oral conditions, and oral health care; oral health and early childhood; and issues affecting access to care. A policy brief accompanies the guidelines.
  
  
• See the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) clinical practice guidelines, Guideline on Perinatal Oral Health Care (2009).
  
  
• Also see Smiles for Life: A National Oral Health Curriculum, 3rd ed. (2010) and the MCHCOM.com webcasts. Several resources in the section Websites of State Organizations contain resources about perinatal oral health.
  

Special Health Care Needs

• Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD): Children with Special Health Care Needs. Information about efforts in states and territories to improve the oral health of children with special health care needs. Includes a collection of state forum reports and action plans and links to materials to support state efforts. ASTDD’s resource, Best Practice Approaches, presents state and community practice examples and reports about improving the oral health of children, adolescents, and adults with special health care needs.
  
  
• Dental Lifeline Network. Information about its programs to provide oral health services to individuals with special health care needs and older adults through oral health professionals who donate their services. Dental Lifeline Network is an affiliate of the American Dental Association (ADA).
  
  
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR): Special Needs. A series of booklets for health professionals and families about delivering oral health care to individuals with special health care needs. Also presents information and resources for health professionals and consumers about managing and preventing oral complications of systemic diseases (cancer treatment, developmental disabilities, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and HIV and AIDS). NIDCR also offers
  
  NIDCR Special Care Database. Citations for materials that focus on care for individuals with genetic or systemic disorders that affect oral, dental, or craniofacial health, whose medical treatments cause oral problems, or whose intellectual or physical disabilities complicate oral hygiene or dental treatment. Materials include journal articles, fact sheets, brochures, audiovisuals, and other educational materials for consumers and health professionals.
  
  
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC): Children with Special Health Care Needs. A policy brief, resource guides, fact sheet, and tip sheet about planning, developing, and implementing efforts to ensure that children and adolescents with special health care needs receive optimal oral health care. Additional resources include
  
  Special Care: An Oral Health Professional’s Guide to Serving Young Children with Special Health Care Needs. (2006). This series of five self-study modules provides oral health professionals with information to ensure that young children with special health care needs have access to health-promotion and disease-prevention services that address their unique oral health needs in a comprehensive, family-centered, and community-based manner.
  
  
• New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. A collection of pamphlets about oral health for individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers, and oral health professionals.
  
  
• Pacific Center for Special Care. Information about its programs and efforts to improve access to oral health care for individuals with special health care needs, including people who have difficulty maintaining good oral health or accessing oral health services because of developmental, medical, physical, or social conditions. The center is an organization within the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.
  
  
• Special Care Dentistry Association (SCDA). Links to educational modules, a product guide, and other resources about the oral health care of individuals with special health care needs. Access to most resources is limited to SCDA members or is available for a fee.
  
  
• Special Olympics: Healthy Athletes. Information about this initiative to provide health screenings and health information to athletes free of charge at Special Olympics competitions. Health screenings are offered in seven areas, one of which is oral health (Special Smiles). Presents information for health professionals about volunteering in the program and resources for health professionals that include training manuals, handbooks, forms, and patient-education materials. Also offers an online directory of local health professionals who have experience in the needs and care of people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive, and respected members of society through sports training and competition.
  
  
• Washington State Department of Health: Oral Health Program. Fact sheets about oral health care for children and adults with special health care needs. The fact sheets cover 14 conditions and are available in three versions: for parents and caregivers, oral health professionals, and health professionals. Two other fact sheets provide guidance to health and oral health professionals about general oral health care for children with special health care needs.
  
  
• Special Care Dentistry Advisory Group. 2010. Special Care Oral Health Services: A North Carolina Commitment—Session Law 2009-100. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. This report examines oral health care options for populations in North Carolina requiring special care dentistry and makes recommendations for improving these services.
  
  
• Also see Healthy Smiles Through Child Care Health Consultation and First Smiles. Several resources in the section Websites of State Organizations contain resources about oral health for individuals with special health care needs.
  

Related MCH Library Resources

• Health Insurance and Access to Care for Children and Adolescents knowledge path, family resource brief
  

Oral Health for Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women: Knowledge Path, 12th ed. (January 2011). (Updated: September 2011).
Author: Susan Brune Lorenzo, M.L.S., MCH Library.
Contributors: Jolene Bertness, M.Ed., OHRC; Katrina Holt, M.P.H., M.S., R.D., OHRC; Sarah Kolo, OHRC.
Reviewers: Sarah Kolo, OHRC; Pamella Vodicka, M.S., R.D., Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
Editor: Ruth Barzel, M.A., OHRC.