The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #42288

Elizabeth J. Truslow-Evans, MPH¹, Jay M. Goldring, MSPH, PhD², Dorothy C. Dorfman, BS³, Margaret E. Rojewski, RN, BC, BSN³, and Kisha A. Rose, CDA, RDA, BS⁴. (1) Bureau of Environmental Health, Wisconsin Dept of Health & Family Services, Madison, WI, 608-266-3393, evanse@dhfs.state.wi.us, (2) New Jersey Public Health Association, c/o EOHSI-CET, 317 George St, Plaza II, 2nd Floor, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, (3) School of Public Health, UMDNJ, 1 Westview Terrace, Teaneck, NJ 07666, (4) Rutgers University, 11 London Place, Somerset, NJ 08873

Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease in the US, and disproportionately affects poor and minority children. New Jersey is one of few states without an oral health program within the Health Department. School-based health centers are often a poor child's only access to oral health treatment and preventive services. The New Jersey Public Health Association developed and conducted a survey to determine the degree to which NJ public schools are providing oral health related services to students, to assess the State’s progress toward meeting the Healthy People 2010 oral health objectives. Surveys were sent to elementary, middle and high schools in May 2001 and were completed by school nurses (response rate=49%, n=1134). While 60% of NJ schools include oral health topics in the health curriculum, significantly fewer offer one of the following oral health services: Fluoride Mouth Rinse Programs (13%), school-based dental clinics (5%), or dental sealant programs (2%). Schools in lower income areas were less likely than their wealthier counterparts to include oral health in the health education curriculum. Lower income area school nurses listed “untreated dental caries, toothache or impacted teeth” as the most common reason for students’ oral health related visits to school nurse, while “problems with braces/orthodontic procedures” was listed as the most common reason for school nurse visits in higher income area schools. NJPHA recommends the establishment of an oral health program within the State Health Department as a first step towards achieving the Healthy People 2010 Objectives for Oral Health.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Recognize reasons that Medicaid has failed to provide high risk populations with access to oral health treatment and preventive services.
• Identify at least three different services NJ public schools provide students.
• Recognize the benefits of an oral health program within the state Department of Health.
• List the Healthy People 2010 goals for oral health, and evaluate NJ in reaching these goals.

Keywords: Oral Health, Access to Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.