title: Refugee child oral health.
abstract: The number of people forced to flee their homes and move around the world is increasing rapidly. Such refugee populations are not only more likely to have poor physical, mental and social health outcomes but also to experience difficulties accessing health services in their new country. In particular, children from refugee backgrounds are at increased risk of poor oral health which in time is associated with poor adult oral health and impacts on child health (e.g. growth and development) and well-being. To date, there is little evidence about the nature and extent of their oral health problems nor interventions to improve their oral health status. This article summarises the evidence surrounding the oral health status of children from refugee backgrounds. In addition, a systematic review of the international literature over the past 10 years is presented which identifies interventions to improve the oral health of these vulnerable paediatric populations. Based on this evidence, potential strategies available to dental service providers to optimise provision of responsive dental care are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Healthy Mothers Healthy Families, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, Australia.|General Practice and Primary Health Care Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riggs
authors.affiliation: Melbourne Dental School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajan
authors.affiliation: Sector Development & Partnerships, Foundation House, The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.affiliation: Cleft Services, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kilpatrick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D012036:Refugees; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis
keywords: children; oral health; refugee