Tooth decay in our poorest children: what can we do?
Dental programs for the poor have failed to deliver improved oral health for children to the same degree as their more well-off counterparts. Community health workers continue to identify dental problems as the greatest unmet need in their communities. Yet, many do not see this as a problem. Practitioners need to act in concert through their dental societies to establish and efficiently manage community-based outreach programs. Child dental health can also be improved by increasing access through public and non-profit community clinics and integrating child dental services with medical care.
Milgrom
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Department of Dental Public Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008484:Medicaid; D009909:Oral Health; D011203:Poverty; D011331:Private Practice; D017150:Public Sector; D014481:United States