How Public Dental Programs Can Help

Poor oral health and oral conditions can be prevented with consistent, routine care. However, not everyone is informed or able to make regular dental appointments, but dental health programs can help remedy that. Public dental programs can focus on oral health issues within specific populations and communities rather than individuals. The goal is to guarantee ideal oral health among Americans through dental health promotion and disease prevention.

Oral Health Care for Students

Oral health problems in children can affect their health and school performance. A study from the University of Southern California found a correlation in 1,500 subjects, aged primary to high school, between dental issues, lower grades, and missed school days. “On average, elementary children missed a total of six days per year, and high school children missed 2.6 days. For elementary students, 2.1 days of missed school were due to dental problems, and high school students missed 2.3 days due to dental issues,” said Roseann Mulligan, chair for university’s pediatric dentistry division. “That shows oral health problems are a very significant factor in school absences.”

Dental sealants are known to reduce tooth decay in children by over 70 percent, says the CDC. Because of this, some states have employed school-based programs to offer sealants to children at risk for cavities from low-income families. Public dental programs like this identify target markets in school districts to meet the needs of kids who aren’t as likely to have private dental care.

Oral Health Care for Seniors

Older adults may stray away from the dentist because of the expense, but avoiding preventative dental care can lead to more extensive procedures later. Gum disease severity increases with age, with up to 23 percent of adults, ages of 65 to 74, having severe gum disease. Medicare doesn’t always cover routine dental procedures, which leaves many seniors without necessary insurance. Fortunately, there are public dental health programs for low-income seniors, such as the Senior Dental Health Program in Wyoming, which covers 75 percent of dental provider fees to reduce lower-income seniors’ financial burden.

Oral Health Care for Expectant Mothers

Expectant moms are encouraged to keep up with routine dental care, since it is especially important during pregnancy. Many women, however, do not know that oral health can affect both them and their child. During pregnancy, the increased level of hormones exaggerates the way gums react to the irritants in plaque. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported that 44 percent of women claimed they didn’t visit a dentist during their pregnancy.

To keep expecting mothers informed, there’s a new app called Text4Baby. The app educates mothers on their child’s development and care through the baby’s first year, and it can be used to set reminders for prenatal doctor and dentist appointments. The app has partnered with federal, state and local agencies to help women get the information they need to stay healthy.

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