Tooth decay is an infectious disease. Prevention of this disease is shifting down to the infant and pregnant woman. The treatment of this disease in infants and toddlers is both expensive and often requires hospitalization and general anesthesia, so prevention needs to begin much earlier than the traditional first visit to the dentist at age 3. Multnomah County Health Department, Dental Division provides dental services for a Medicaid Managed care population. In order to prevent tooth decay and to reduce the number of young children needing treatment, a pilot program, BABY DAY, was implemented for this enrolled population. BABY DAY consists of six sessions per month of parent education, assessment of the infants' teeth and application fo a fluoride varnish for all children who are "high risk" for tooth decay. Only those children who cannot be managed with the use of fluoride and parent education are referred to the dentist. The remainder are recalled to BABY DAY every 6 months. This poster will describe the number and percent of eligible children seen since March 1999(638/10%). It will describe a risk assessment tool which is used to assign risk categories for tooth decay. It will describe the numbers and percent of children assessed as high risk(225/29%), and those who return for recall. The poster session will also discuss the plans in progress to include training of prenatal and well child providers within the Department health clinics to do assessments, key messages and appropriate referral to dental providers.
Learning Objectives: The learner will understand the infective nature of tooth decay. The learner will understand the need to treat tooth decay at early and reversible stages. The learner will understand one method of addressing prevention and early intervention of Early childhood caries in a Medicaid Managed Care setting.
Keywords: Oral Health, Infant Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Multnnomah County Health Department
Office of Medical Assistance
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.