Head Start Oral Health Assessment.

PURPOSE: A Head Start program located in Paterson, New Jersey considered establishing a school-based dental clinic to address unmet oral health needs such as access to care and the need for restorative treatment. The purpose of this study was to establish the oral health status of Head Start children, their treatment needs, and parents' interest and willingness to utilize a school-based dental clinic. DESCRIPTION: School-based dental care has been used to address access to care issues, particularly among children who live in underserved areas. A 21 item survey was used to correlate the results of an oral exam performed on the Head Start children and the parents' preferences, beliefs and access patterns. Fisher's exact test and Chi squared test were used to study the association among variable with significance levels set at 0.05. Assessment The oral exam revealed a high caries rate amongst all of the children. Parental responses indicated strong support for the establishment of a school-based clinic and identified the need for further parental education. Having a regular source of care was found to be unrelated to treatment needs. CONCLUSION: Further education of the parents regarding the child's oral health is critical to the success and viability of this school-based clinic.

Computerized assessment of dental student writing skills.

This study tested the feasibility of using computer-based tools for the assessment of written materials produced by dental students. Written assignments produced by three consecutive incoming dental school classes (240 students) were assessed, and the performance among and between classes was analyzed. Computerized assessment of documents produced by students in the context of their regular coursework proved to be an efficient and effective mechanism for assessing performance. Student performance, assessed as a byproduct of this research, was disappointing. The performance of all classes fell below the eleventh grade level, with some students producing written material at a level of sophistication generally expected from middle school children. Existing technology shows promise as a vehicle for enhancing the assessment of dental students' written communication skills. The ease of use and minimal training necessary to apply this technology can help mitigate the time-intensive nature of writing assessment. If this assessment information is then used to enhance instruction--a process inherently available through software such as WebCT--the distance between assessment and instruction may be more readily bridged through an increase in the use of technology.

Designing and implementing a school-based dental program for students with developmental disabilities.

Students with developmental disabilities in Atlantic County Special Services School District (ACSSSD) receive on-site dental care through a program created by UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School (NJDS). The program's goal was to coordinate dental school resources with those of a school district, county agencies and the Delta Dental Foundation to provide quality dental services to the students, aged 3-21 years. The University developed a Needs Assessment Survey and distributed 450 surveys to the students' parent/guardian(s). Completed surveys were returned by 131 respondents. Of the 131 children represented, 75 had not been seen by a dentist within the past year. In response to guardian reported access problems, UMDNJ-NJDS and ACSSSD developed a school-based dental care delivery system and a program for health promotion and disease.