Caries management pathways (CaMPs): A global approach to prevention

For decades scientific evidence on caries prevention and early detection has informed effective strategies that can be applied nationally and globally; however, these efforts have not yet resulted in changing the restorative focus in caries management to a preventive one. In May 2012 international experts met in Philadelphia to define a new common mission for a caries management program and strategy for global use. The Mission of CAMPs is to preserve tooth structure and restore only when indicated. The purpose of CaMPs is to increase the quality of care; decrease costs and enhance the oral health of Populations globally. The CaMPs mission is achieved by using several strategic evidence-based pathways: 1. International Caries Classification and Management System (ICCMS); 2. Caries Management by Risk Assessment; 3. Caries Management System (CMS); 4. ADA Caries Classification System and 5. A modification of the standard approach of visual-tactile examination to classify carious lesions into initial, moderate or severe stages. Thus CaMPs incorporates caries risk assessment and lesion activity to develop care management plans that primary, secondary and tertiary preventive strategies. This public health focused presentation will draw on the program model in use in North Philadelphia. In June 2013, a second international meeting will be convened at King's College London Dental Institute to develop a manual of operations for implementing the CaMPs strategies using the International Caries Classification and Management System (ICCMS) .