Preventive services program: a model engaging volunteers to expand community-based oral health services for children.
OBJECTIVE
This paper describes the Preventive Services Program (PSP), a community based oral health program model which engages volunteers to provide preventive services and education for underserved children in Missouri. In 2006, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services created a program for children designed to use a systems approach for population-based prevention of oral disease. Currently, 5 part-time dental hygienists serve as Oral Health Program Consultants to work with the citizens of a community to engage dentists, dental hygienists, parents and other interested stakeholders in the activities of the program. Dental volunteers evaluate oral health and disease in the community's children and facilitate referrals for dental care. Other volunteers apply fluoride varnish and provide educational services to the children.
In 2006, 273 volunteer dentists and dental hygienists and 415 community volunteers provided oral screenings, oral health education, 2 fluoride varnish applications and referral for unmet dental care for 8,529 children. In 2011, 775 volunteer dentists and dental hygienists and 1,837 other community volunteers provided by PSP services to nearly 65,000 children.


CONCLUSIONS
It has been demonstrated that when the local citizens take responsibility for their own needs that a sustainable and evidence-based program like PSP is possible. Guidelines which provide criteria for matching models with the specific community characteristics need to be generated. Furthermore, a national review of successful program models would be helpful to those endeavoring to implement community oral health program.
Ann M
AM
Hoffman
Bonnie G
BG
Branson
Nancy T
NT
Keselyak
Melanie
M
Simmer-Beck
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003149:Community Dentistry / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003756:Dental Hygienists; D003815:Dentists; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008923:Missouri; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009909:Oral Health; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014838:Volunteers; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
D005460:Fluorides, Topical
community volunteers; community-based models; fluoride varnish; oral health education; population-based; preventive services