The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #65240

Jared I. Fine, DDS, MPH¹, Jovita Kerner, RDH, MA², and Catherine B. Grant, RDH². (1) Dental Health Administrator, Alameda County Department of Public Health, Community Health Services, Dental Unit, 1000 Broadway, Suite 500, Oakland, CA 94607, (510)208-5911, jfine@co.alameda.ca.us, (2) Community Healthy Services, Dental Unit, Alameda Co Health Department, 1000 Broadway, Suite 500, Oakland, CA 94607

Abstract: Despite advances in prevention and treatment of oral diseases, dental disease persists as the most common, chronic, infectious disease among children. Children of low income families, however, suffer a disproportionate burden of dental disease, resulting in early tooth loss, pain, difficulty chewing, impaired speech development, absence from or inattention at school, reduced self-esteem and even failure to thrive. Although availability of dental services through publicly-funded health insurance provided hope of improving access for low-income children, barriers of culture, language, fear, geography, bureaucracy, citizenship and economics have stymied enrollment and utilization. In Alameda County, California, the challenge was to construct a program to arrange, pay for or provide dental care for low-income children with dental needs and identify and assist those who could be enrolled in insurance. The program model described links children with dental problems discovered at either a medical well child visit (EPSDT) or a school dental screening to a network of dental providers, and maximizes the opportunity to assist eligible families to enroll in insurance. Key characteristics will be described, including the unique role of the dental outreach case managers in overcoming barriers and who are deployed to dental offices to support and assist families. Program results reported will include outreach outcomes for 3,325 children referred between April 2001 and January 2003, and recommendations for future implementation.

Learning Objectives:

Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to:
• describe the four elements in the Healthy Smiles Program Model which are encompassed within the system that mediates the relationship between medical and dental care providers, children of low income high risk families and dental outreach case mangers;
• describe the two key roles of the outreach case manager;
• identify at least four possible outreach case management outcomes resulting from attempts to link clients to dental care and insurance.

Keywords: Oral Health Outcomes, Health Insurance

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.