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Providing a Dental Home for Pregnant Women: A Community Program to Address Dental Care Access – A Brief Communication
Author(s) -
Milgrom Peter,
Ludwig Sharity,
Shirtcliff R. Mike,
Smolen Darlene,
Sutherland Marilynn,
Gates Patricia A.,
Weinstein Philip
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of public health dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1752-7325
pISSN - 0022-4006
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-7325.2007.00049.x
Subject(s) - medicine , family medicine , medicaid , dental care , oral hygiene , intervention (counseling) , nursing , health care , dentistry , economics , economic growth
Objective: This paper describes a community‐based intervention to provide a dental home for women covered by Medicaid in Klamath County, Oregon. In 2001, 8.8 percent of pregnant women served by Medicaid in Oregon received care. The long‐term goal of the program is to promote preventive oral care for both mothers and their new infants. Methods: Pregnant women received home/Women, Infant and Children visits and were assigned a dental home under a dental managed care program [Dental Care Organization (DCO)]. All initial care was provided at the Oregon Institute of Technology Dental Hygiene Clinic under the contract with the DCO. Emergency, preventive, and restorative care was provided. Results: Between February 2004 and January 2006, 503 pregnant women were identified; 421 women were contactable. Of these, 339 received home visits (339/421, 80.5 percent) and 235 received care (235/339, 69.3 percent). Overall, 55.8 percent of eligible women received care (235/421). Most who did not have a visit either moved or were not the caretaker of the baby. The missed appointment rate was 9 percent. Conclusion: A community health partnership led to a successful and sustainable model extending care to pregnant women and is being extended to promote preventive care for both new mothers and their offspring.