Journal of public health dentistry
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J Public Health Dent · Sep 2017
Expanded Medicaid dental coverage under the Affordable Care Act: an analysis of Minnesota emergency department visits.
Hospital emergency departments (EDs) function as the safety net for patients with non-traumatic dental conditions (NTDCs). With the implementation of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) many adults became eligible for dental benefits. We examined the impact of "early" Medicaid expansion in Minnesota on ED visits for NTDCs from 2008 (prereform) to 2014 (postreform). ⋯ The Minnesota experience suggests that the increase in Medicaid dental benefits through the ACA has significantly decreased NTDC visits, especially among young adults who were eligible for a dependent coverage policy that extends parents' health insurance to age 26. To our knowledge, no previous study has reported on the impact of early Medicaid expansion on the rate of ED use for NTDCs.
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J Public Health Dent · Jun 2017
ReviewPrimary care interventions to reduce childhood obesity and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: Food for thought for oral health professionals.
Childhood obesity remains a significant threat to America's children. Health care leaders have increasingly called upon oral health professionals to integrate healthy weight promotion and enhanced sugar-sweetened beverage counseling into their professional practices. The aim of this scoping review is to examine recent evidence regarding the effectiveness of primary care childhood obesity interventions that have potential for adoption by oral health professionals. ⋯ Effective primary care interventions for addressing childhood obesity have been identified, although only short-term effectiveness has been demonstrated. Dissemination of these practices as well as further research and advocacy are needed. Childhood obesity and poor oral health share many common risk factors. Additional research should focus on the benefits and feasibility of widespread interdisciplinary medical-oral health collaboration in addressing the two most prevalent diseases of childhood.
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J Public Health Dent · Jun 2017
Introduction to proceedings of healthy futures: engaging the oral health community in childhood obesity prevention national conference.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has worked to ensure that all children have healthy weights. To promote this goal, the RWJF has supported the Healthy Futures: Engaging the Oral Health Community in Childhood Obesity Prevention National Conference, held on November 3-4, 2016, and the proceeding of this conference. The goals of the conference were to increase understanding of the science focusing on oral health and childhood obesity, increase understanding of how to prevent childhood obesity, and provide opportunities to network and plan activities to prevent childhood obesity. ⋯ To reduce the risk of obesity and dental caries in children, health professionals and parents need to be aware of the sugar content of processed foods and beverages as well as of current daily sugar-consumption recommendations. Additionally, oral health professionals must become more engaged in identifying children who are at risk for obesity and dental caries; and provide education, screening and referral to reduce these risks.
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J Public Health Dent · Jun 2017
ReviewAdvancing oral health policy and advocacy to prevent childhood obesity and reduce children's consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
While a large body of work documents the interconnections between oral health and obesity, less is known about the role that oral health professionals and organizations play to prevent childhood obesity, especially by influencing children's consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). This review identifies efforts by oral health professionals and organizations to influence such policy and advocacy, while informing future opportunities to leverage and expand on existing efforts. ⋯ This review provides an emerging evidence base to support growing recognition among oral health professionals of their dual role in preventing childhood obesity and dental caries by targeting SSB consumption. It also identifies opportunities for oral health professionals to build on initial efforts to more proactively influence future policy and advocacy.
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J Public Health Dent · Jun 2017
ReviewPediatric obesity-related curricular content and training in dental schools and dental hygiene programs: systematic review and recommendations.
The authors conducted a systematic review to determine: a) What dental schools and dental hygiene programs are doing to promote knowledge and skills related to addressing childhood obesity and to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and b) What else these schools and programs could do to better equip future oral health professionals to address childhood obesity and reduce consumption of SSBs. ⋯ Evidence of dental schools' and dental hygiene programs' efforts to address obesity and SSB consumption in children in their curricula is scant, while Commission on Dental Accreditation standards make sporadic mentions of diet and nutrition. Opportunities exist to leverage existing resources and innovative, experiential approaches, including IPE, to formally, and effectively address this important issue in predoctoral oral health education.