title: Evaluation of an interdisciplinary preventive programme for early childhood caries: findings of a regional German birth cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this prospective birth cohort study was to evaluate the effect of the interdisciplinary preventive programme (PP) for early childhood caries in 3-year-old children in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2009 to October 2010, all parents of newborns (n = 1162) were visited after birth by the communal newborn visiting service of Jena, Thuringia, and advised on general and dental health. In the first year of life, children were invited to a dental examination in Jena University Hospital. Participating children were included in a risk-related recall system with continuous oral care over 3 years. Caries-risk assessment tool of the AAPD was used for risk categorizing. High-risk children received fluoride varnish biannual. In 2013, the total birth cohort (participants and non-participants) was invited to evaluate the PP. Dental caries was scored using WHO diagnostic criteria expanded to d1-level without radiography. Data were analysed statistically (multivariate logistic regression).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven hundred fifty-five children (mean age 3.26 ± 0.51 years) were examined. Children in the PP (n = 377) showed significantly lower caries prevalence and experience than non-participants (15.6 vs. 37.8 %, 0.9 ± 3.3 d1-4mfs vs. 2.6 ± 5.2 d1-4mfs). Lack of vitamin D supplements (OR = 1.9, CI 0.99-3.51), familial caries experience (OR = 2.2, CI 1.27-3.73) and visible plaque on teeth (OR = 6.5, CI 4.41-9.43) were significant risk factors for caries development, whereas regular dental care (OR = 0.5, CI 0.38-0.79) had a protective effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PP was an effective interdisciplinary approach for preventing early childhood caries in small children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early dental visits with caries-risk-related preventive dental care are necessary to prevent early childhood caries (ECC).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00003438, https://drks-neu.uniklinik-freiburg.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00003438.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry, Jena University Hospital, Bachstr. 18, Jena, Germany. Yvonne.Wagner@med.uni-jena.de.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry, Jena University Hospital, Bachstr. 18, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Roswitha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heinrich-Weltzien
mesh_terms: D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011322:Primary Prevention; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Dental care; Fluorides; Infant; Oral health; Risk factors; Vitamin D