Oral Health for Nashua's Children

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that although avoidable, tooth decay affects 28 percent of U.S. children between the ages of two and five years, nearly tripling by the time children reach adolescents to 68 percent. It has also been reported that in low-income populations tooth decay is twice as likely to go untreated often leading to painful complications, negatively impacting learning. In a 2006 community assessment access to oral health care was described as major issue facing families in Nashua, NH. In 2006 the City's Division of Public Health and Community Services, in an effort to address the oral health needs of underserved children, requested funds from the NH Endowment for Health to convene a strategic planning initiative. In moving forward the Board of Health was able to engage the school district, local dental society, community health center, community action agency, dental safety net providers and state representatives. With the support of a facilitator, the group developed a communitywide plan aimed at increasing the number of children and families in the city with a dental home. This paper will describe the components of the plan as well as its implementation and the process involved in community mobilization for oral health.