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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Katrina A. Holt, MPH, MS, RD and Ruth Barzel, MA. National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, Georgetown University, Box 571272, Washington, DC 20057-1272, (202) 784-9551, kholt@georgetown.edu

Childhood oral disease, and particularly dental caries, is an important public health problem that can significantly impact health and well-being throughout life. Children with special health care needs are disproportionately affected. The infectious nature of caries and its early onset point toward an emphasis on prevention and early intervention.

To help solve this problem, the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center has produced a Web-based curriculum designed to provide oral health professionals with information to help ensure that young children with special health care needs have access to health promotion and disease prevention services that address their unique oral health needs in a comprehensive, family-centered, and community-based manner.

This series of five online modules offers an overview of oral health for children with special health care needs, explains how to provide optimal oral health care for this population, presents preventive measures that can promote oral health and reduce oral diseases, and discusses behavior management in the dental office. The information presented is supported by evidence-based science and best practice and was reviewed by oral health professionals. The curriculum incorporates text, graphics, illustrations, multimedia, and post-test and evaluation tools within an appealing, dynamic, user-friendly interface.

The presentation will describe the curriculum and ways in which oral health professionals can use it to enhance the oral health of children with special health care needs. We will provide an overview of the curriculum content and its interactive features and will focus on the unique attributes of the Web-based format.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify two examples of oral diseases that may impact the overall health of children with special health care needs.
• List two potential barriers to, and two opportunities for, the delivery and financing of oral health care to children with special health care needs.
• Recognize the value of Web-based education for oral health professionals.

Keywords: Access and Services, Professional Development

Related Web page: www.mchoralhealth.org/SpecialCare

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered