February Focus: Prevention!
The most common condition among children is largely preventable. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), dental caries/cavities are four times more common than childhood asthma and three times more likely than childhood obesity. For dental hygienists, NCDHM offers a great opening and opportunity to spread the word about how poor oral health and caries impact kids’ health and quality of life.
February Events & Content
WEBINAR: Inclusive Dental: Build a Team & Practice for Neurodiversity
February 5, 2025 | 6:00 – 7:00 pm CT
1.5 CE • Free for ADHA Members
Presented by: Courtney Thompson, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA
Understanding how to care for patients with special needs and being equipped with practical strategies can transform your practice. Register now to join us for this webinar about common disabilities in young children, effective oral health approaches, and ways to create a sensory-friendly environment that empowers both your team and patients.
Register Now
WEBINAR: Abuse, Neglect and Trafficking: Our Responsibility
RECORDED on February 21, 2024
1.5 CE • Free for ADHA Members
Presented by: Denise M. Messina, MDH, BS, RDH & Bridget M. Wright, MACPR, BSDH, EFDA
Understanding your role in supporting survivors of abuse and being equipped with resources to help and identify victims, can make a huge difference in the lives of your patients. View the recording of this important event to learn more about the physical, behavioral, and emotional indicators of child and elder abuse or neglect.
ACCESS THE RECORDING
4-Minute Reads
Caries Prevention and Managing Caries Risk for Our Youngest Patients
Hygienist Hub Article By Lisa Kamibayashi, RDH, MSDHE, FADHA
February 8, 2024 | Sponsored by Colgate®
A wide variety of fluoride options on the market can leave you wondering and comparing these preventive treatment – and they’re not all the same. Read on for guidance on selecting the right fluoride for your youngest patients.
The Importance of Family Oral Health Education in Promoting Children’s Oral Health
Journal of Dental Hygiene editorial by Denise C. McKinney, PhD, MS, RDH and Melissa Sullivan, PhD(c), MD, RDH
February 12, 2024
Oral health practices we use to educate children and how oral health literacy, family structure, and community level are just some of the factors that affect and impact the promotion of positive oral health practices in children and families.
Volunteer Opportunity!
Join ADHA, the IOH Foundation and Colgate’s BSBF program in a month-long volunteer drive to improve the oral health of under-served children. Find local opportunities to sign up, volunteer your experience, and support dental hygienists driving change, everywhere!
Get the Parents’ Guide
To support your patient education, we created a quick-reference guide for download. Consider posting it on your practice website, email it as a follow up to appointments, or print and use it to support your conversations.
Make Your Outreach Work
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed oral health education materials to help expectant mothers and parents of young children learn about developing positive oral health habits early. You too, can amplify the importance of oral health by displaying, sharing and distributing informational materials!
Tooth decay is the most common preventable chronic disease among children in the United States.
If left untreated, it can negatively affect a child’s physical and social development, as well as their school performance.
In 2010, the CMS launched an Oral Health Initiative to help states ensure that children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP have easy access to dental and oral health services.
LEARN ABOUT DENTAL BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN IN MEDICAID AND CHIP
FIND YOUR STATE’S COMPLETE LIST OF BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN IN MEDICAID AND CHIP
In their State of Little Teeth Report, 2nd Edition, AAPD examined the epidemic of tooth decay among children. Read the report for helpful information and rich data, including:
- Nearly one in five children under the age of 5 has experienced dental decay.
- Nearly half of children aged 6–11 in the U.S. population are affected by tooth decay, along with more than half of those aged 12–19.
- Children aged 2–9 living in poverty are twice as likely to suffer tooth decay as their more affluent peers.
- Children in the U.S. miss over 34 million school hours each year due to dental problems.
- After eight years of follow up, children who had their first dental visit before the age of four spent an average of $360 less on dental treatment than those who did not.