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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Virginia Chomitz, PhD¹, Mary Tavares, DMD, MPH², Howard Cabral, PhD³, Jacyn Stultz², and Ana Karina Mascarenhas, DMD⁴. (1) The Institute for Community Health, 163 Gore St, Cambridge, MA 02141, 617-499-6672, vchomitz@challiance.org, (2) The Forsyth Institute, 140 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115, (3) School of Public Health, Boston University, 715 Albany Street, Talbot Bldg., Boston, MA 02118, (4) Division of Dental Public Health, Boston University School of Dental Medicine, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02115

Objectives: With the high prevalence of childhood obesity, interventions in settings that provide routine services to children are desirable. This study assesses the feasibility and acceptability of adapting primary pediatric dental care to include an intervention promoting awareness of child obesity risk, customized recommendations, and referrals.

Research Design and Intervention: Approximately 150 patients, aged 6-11, from a community health clinic, are being following longitudinally for 12 months through two to three routine dental visits. The health clinic patient-base is culturally and linguistically diverse. At each preventive/diagnostic semi-annual visit, dental hygienists facilitate an assessment of BMI and obesity-promoting behaviors - including dietary intake, physical activity, TV viewing, and family meal patterns. The hygienist uses a reporting form to provide families with an individualized “health report card” with interpretive information, recommendations and referrals, if necessary. The study evaluation includes an assessment of the extent to which the subjects and their caregivers adopt the recommendations and follow through with the referral, and an assessment of the acceptability of the intervention in the dental setting from providers, subjects and their caregivers.

Significance: Pediatric dental settings may offer an excellent opportunity for obesity interventions. Children usually see dental providers at least two times per year for primary care visits, twice as often as their pediatrician. Additionally, there is synergy between nutrition recommendations for dental care and overweight treatment and prevention, and hygienist-patient relationships are often strong.

Learning Objectives: Learning objectives

By the end of the presentation, participants will have learned
• about an innovative obesity intervention designed for a pediatric primary care dental setting,
• the preliminary results of the feasibility of such an intervention,
• the preliminary results of the effectiveness of the intervention on client follow-through of recommendations and referrals

Keywords: Oral Health, Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered