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Prevention of early childhood caries: a public health perspective
Author(s) -
Weintraub Jane A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1998.tb02095.x
Subject(s) - medicine , early childhood caries , reimbursement , water fluoridation , public health , psychological intervention , incentive , environmental health , legislation , family medicine , dental public health , population , intervention (counseling) , public health insurance , nursing , oral health , health care , health insurance , economic growth , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , political science , law , economics , fluoride , microeconomics
— This paper proposes strategies for preventing early childhood caries (ECC), preferably for the greatest number of children at the lowest cost. Population‐based, public health approaches are more likely to reach the target population groups at risk of developing ECC than individual, private practice‐based approaches. Different prevention and early intervention strategies are discussed and the following recommendations are made: 1) Continue to promote community water fluoridation. 2) Evaluate the effectiveness of other public health oriented measures to prevent ECC. 3) Develop a national ECC and rampant caries registry. 4) Link oral health screening and easily implemented, low‐cost interventions with immunization schedules and public health nursing activities. 5) Increase opportunities for community‐based interventions conducted by dental hygienists. 6) Change insurance reimbursement schedules to provide incentives for dentists to prevent disease. 7) Include dentistry in new child health insurance legislation for children as well as parents of infants and preschool children.