Engaging the medical community in improving children's oral health

Nearly half of Washington State’s low-income preschoolers have dental decay. That’s too many, and the numbers are rising.

Early prevention and intervention—preferably by a child’s first birthday—are critical to improving children’s oral health.

Primary care medical providers usually see a child 11 times before age 3 for well-child check ups. They are well-positioned to deliver preventive oral health services as well. WDS Foundation provides in-office continuing education trainings for primary care medical providers on delivering oral health screenings, conducting risk assessments, sharing oral health tips with families and applying fluoride varnish to children’s teeth. The trainings also identify resources for follow-up dental care and provide tips on billing. This training certifies providers to receive a substantial increase in Medicaid reimbursements for delivering oral health prevention services.

WDS Foundation is partnering with Group Health Cooperative and other large and small primary care clinics statewide to deliver preventive oral health services during well-child checks.

To build oral health into medical school training, WDS Foundation has sponsored a course at the University of Washington School of Medicine as well as development of a curriculum called “Smiles for Life” now used in dozens of family medicine residencies nationwide.

Since 2002, WDS Foundation and our partners have trained more than 1,000 physicians in Washington State, or nearly one in three pediatricians and family physicians. The number of fluoride varnish applications delivered in medical settings to Medicaid-enrolled children has increased from 145 in 2000 to 12,931 in 2008.

For more information about WDS Foundation’s efforts in their efforts with Primary Care Physicians, please review our Baby Teeth Brochure and Baby Teeth Poster, or contact Dianne Riter, Program Officer at 206-528-7344 or driter@deltadentalwa.com.