Untreated dental caries are common in children, and can result in severe pain and infection. They can sometimes even lead to hospitalization requiring general anesthesia. Interventions, such as community-based preventive care and pre-authorizations for treatment, can reduce the incidence of caries and the cost of treatment.

This practice brief identifies interventions that reduced the utilization of general anesthesia for dental caries in children under the age of six at Advantage Dental, a dental service organization based in Oregon. Key points include:

The oral health of the mother is the best predictor of the oral health of the child. If the mother has poor oral hygiene, a poor diet, and a high bacterial load, that will get passed on to the child. Periodontal disease is also associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, including pre-term labor and preeclampsia. This video featuring Mark Deutchman, MD, family medicine physician and professor at the University of Colorado, delves into the reasons that oral health during pregnancy is crucial for both mother and baby.

In this video, Mark Deutchman, MD, family medicine physician and professor at the University of Colorado, explains the connection between oral health and diabetes. When diabetic patients have good oral health, it’s easier to control their blood sugars. Diagnosing and treating periodontal disease can help patients with their diabetic care. In short, improving oral health improves diabetic control.

In this video, Sean Boynes, DMD, MS, vice president of health improvement at CareQuest Institute, explains how dental providers can play a key role in diabetes management. To do so, they need to understand the disease as well as how oral disease affects overall systemic well-being. Dental providers can help lay the groundwork for better health and better behavioral choices.

In this video, Mark Deutchman, MD, family medicine physician and professor at the University of Colorado, discusses the importance of screening patients for oral cancer. Because oral cancer occurs in hidden areas of the mouth and patients are often asymptomatic, primary care providers should examine the gums and teeth for any signs. Fortunately, adding this to a physical examination is easy and quick.

In this video, Sean Boynes, DMD, MS, vice president of health improvement at CareQuest Institute, discusses the concept of person-centered care for oral health. Ultimately, it means putting an individual at the center of decision making, allowing them to codesign care, and asking them what they want out of this partnership. Person-centered care is holistic care in which there is a mutually satisfying relationship between patient and provider.

An article published in The Journal of the American Dental Association concluded that the high proportion of children requiring restorative treatment and late age at first dental screening indicate there’s a need to invest in educating general dentists, medical students, and pediatricians about oral health guidelines for pediatric patients.

In this video, the provider shows how to use reflective listening statements and summarizations when engaging with an adolescent patient.

In this video, the provider focuses on understanding patient values and goals while using open-ended questions and reflective listening statements.