CDE program for pediatric oral health for family practitioners (dentist)

Title: Starting Early: The Essential Role of the Family Practitioner in Pediatric Oral Health

Background: The NCQA (HEDIS 2006) lowers the age for child dental visits to two years of age

As tooth decay is the most common pediatric chronic illness, prevention and early intervention have significance to child growth and development, general health, school attendance and performance and health care costs. By the very nature of their development, general health and medical intervention, certain children are at a greater risk for poor oral health.

In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) acknowledged that pediatricians and other appropriate health professionals have an essential role in pediatric oral health in the prevention of poor oral health for young children. In 2005, the National Committee for Quality Assurance through the 2006 HEDIS (2006) guidelines have lowered the age for child dental visits to 2 years of age. This change is directed to prevention of “Early Childhood Caries”, which can be devastating to a child’s health and well being. Given the potential for frequent access to infants and young children, general dentists have the opportunity to provide affective health counseling and intervention that can significantly support the health of children and families. However, general practitioners have little training or experience in this domain and the new HEDIS standard provides a new yard stick for HMO and DMO companies to reach.

The goal of the presentation is to provide general practitioners the skill to provide risk assessment, counsel caregivers to oral health activity for their children, provide intervention for early infection and observe over time that appropriate risk reduction is being provided. As the risk for pediatric poor oral health is predictable and can be easily identified, early risk assessment and counseling is critical to pediatric health.

1. Know the risk factors for pediatric poor oral health.
2. Know that children with chronic illness and developmental delay have increase risk for oral infections.
3. Conduct an oral health risk assessment (interview and examination).
4. Provide effective oral health counseling to caregivers.
5. Provide therapies to reduce the rate and spread of infection.
6. Provide appropriate observation for risk change and clinical outcomes.

The program includes a pre and post assessment for attendees. If possible, we would like to provide a follow up assessments (i.e. 6 months later) to determine activity of health professionals.

All assessment data can be provided on request to the program sponsor.