Northeast Center for Research to Evaluate and Eliminate Dental Disparities (CREEDD)

The Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, in partnership with The Forsyth Institute, Boston Medical Center, New England Medical Center, Boston Public Health Commission, Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH and Tufts University has established the Northeast Center for Research to Evaluate and Eliminate Dental Disparities (CREEDD). The organizing theme for our work is identifying effective means by which to engage non-dental providers in oral health promotion, and extending the venues for oral health promotion to non-clinical care settings. Building on this theme, the Center's objectives are to: (1) conduct research that will lead to an understanding of the factors associated with oral health disparities, with a special focus on early childhood caries; (2) develop, test and evaluate community-based interventions designed to reduce oral health disparities (3) serve as a training and mentoring resource; (4) disseminate information on oral health status of underserved populations, and on effective means to reduce oral health disparities. Six pilot projects and four core programs are organized around this theme. To date, CREEDD has developed instruments to examine the effects of tooth decay on the quality of life of low-income children and their families in English, Spanish and Portuguese, determined the impact of severe dental infections on children's growth; assessed the best ways to involve pediatricians in improving children's oral health; and learned more about oral microbes may impact the oral health disparities. This presentation will provide an overview of the major findings of the Center's four major projects.

Support by U54 DE14264