DentaQuest Institute launched
Phase III of its Early Childhood Caries (ECC) Collaborative, which will ensure that every child aged six
months to five years that visits partnering clinics receives a comprehensive caries
(cavities) risk assessment, and those
who have an increased risk of developing cavities receive the necessary care to prevent and
manage oral health issues.
The ECC Collaborative,
which launched in 2008, aims to eradicate ECC by educating parents and
caregivers about the importance of preventive care for young children. Phase
III is an 18-month initiative that builds on Phases I and II which first
assessed the overall problem and needs at partnering hospital and dental
clinics and then tested the proposed protocol. Now, with 33 teams participating
across the country, Phase III puts the protocol into action by maintaining
contact with children and their parents to ensure the children are receiving
proper treatment.
The ECC Phase III
Collaborative held its first virtual learning session last week, during which
the Collaborative’s partners presented their progress to date, learned quality
improvement skills and attended workshops about charting, scheduling, and working
with patients and caregivers. The Institute chose to host the two-day session
online so that participants could stay at their site and participate with other
staff members who otherwise might not be able to attend an in-person meeting.
Dr. Brian Nový, director of practice improvement at
DentaQuest Institute, led a session addressing the ongoing debate about fluoride.
According to Dr. Nový, while the FDA considers fluoride a drug, the fluoride
concentration found in toothpaste is at the optimal level for daily use. He
assured attendees that if parents monitor their child’s tooth brushing through
age 6, as suggested by dental professionals, they can make sure their child is
using it properly and reaping the benefits. Dr. Nový also said that the warning label on toothpaste gives the
wrong impression to concerned parents, as it is highly unlikely a child will ingest
enough toothpaste to be considered poisonous.
Dentists use
topical, localized fluoride in a very specific amount to lower disease rates in
high-risk mouths. Many dentists agree that fluoride, which can decrease tooth
decay by almost 50%, played a large role in reducing the amount of tooth decay
in the United States.
Dr. Nový recommended that parents maintain
an open line of communication with their dentist and share questions or
concerns so that the dentist can help them benefit from the latest science and
have the most enjoyable experience possible.
There are many resources for understanding community
water fluoridation and the science behind it at http://www.ilikemyteeth.org/