Assessing and Addressing Risk Levels Amongst Children in Early Head Start: Results from the Oral Health Risk Assessment Tool Implementation

Children from low-income, ethnically diverse families have a high rate of dental caries compared with children from more affluent families.  Reaching children at a young age is an important strategy to break the cycle of dental disease which can be far advanced by the time some children reach elementary school.  The Head Start system, and especially the Early Head Start system provide an opportunity to reach children early.  By training and engaging Early Head Start home visitors in assessing risk for dental disease, providing information, and making appropriate referrals, families from can be reached early and scarce oral health resources can be used effectively.

The Pacific Center for Special Care at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry worked with the Ravenswood Family Health Center to customize an Oral Health Risk Assessment tool and process developed by Pacific.  This presentation will describe the community, the partners, the tools and the process used.  It will also present the outcomes of the process and draw policy conclusions about the role of Early Head Start Home Visitors in improving the oral health of the families they serve.