title: Oral health screening using a caries detection device.
abstract: Children from low-income families are more likely to have dental disease and less likely to have regular dental care. Children's dental-related illnesses are responsible for more than 880,000 lost school days each year. The lack of reliable state-level data often makes monitoring the oral health of children a challenge. By conducting oral health screenings, school nurses could promote prevention and early identification of dental problems and could aid in the collection of data. This innovative project used a convenience sample of students to test a caries detection device. Children in Grades 3 and 6 (n = 2,622) received oral health screening by the school nurse using a noninvasive laser fluorescent dental device. Findings revealed that 82% of students referred to the dentists received dental care. School nurses can contribute to improving the oral health status of the school-age population by early detection of dental caries and referrals for a dental evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Stormont Vail Health Care, Cotton O'Neil Clinic, Topeka, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Theresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Tetuan
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGlasson
authors.forename: Ileen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003732:Dental Caries Activity Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000451:nursing; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas; D007834:Lasers; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000451:nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D012573:School Nursing