title: Oral health trends in Maryland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes the trends in oral health in Maryland over the past decade.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were compiled from several surveillance systems and then summarized to assess the trends in oral health in Maryland over the past ten years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of Maryland children with dental sealants increased from 33.8 to 42.8 percent; the percentage of children that have had a dental visit increased from 18.9 to 47.5 percent; and the percentage of children that received "dental treatment" increased from 8.4 to 22.4 percent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maryland has made considerable progress in improving the oral health care for children covered by Medicaid. The availability of affordable oral health care for new mothers, adults, and elderly persons is a problem that goes beyond the Maryland boundaries. Following national trends, edentulism and deaths due to oral cancer have declined.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, USA. cvargas@umaryland.edu
authors.forename: Clemencia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: Jane S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Casper
authors.forename: Daphene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Altema-Johnson
authors.forename: Catherine R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Kolasny
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D002648:Child; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005457:Fluoridation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011159:Population Surveillance; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants