Examining the cost-effectiveness of early dental visits.

The subject of early dental visits as an integral dimension of anticipatory guidance and the related supporting scientific evidence for this concept is a critical and timely issue for the dental profession. The purpose of this paper was to review the scientific evidence and rationale for early dental visits. In theory, early dental visits can prevent disease and reduce costs. During the age 1 dental visit, there is strong emphasis on prevention and parents are given: (1) counseling on infant oral hygiene; (2) home and office-based fluoride therapies; (3) dietary counseling; and (4) information relative to oral habits and dental injury prevention. There is evidence that the early preventive visits can reduce the need for restorative and emergency care, therefore reducing dentally related costs among high-risk children. Preschool Medicaid children who had an early preventive dental visit by age 1 were more likely to use subsequent preventive services and experienced less dentally related costs. These finding have significant policy implications, and more research is needed to examine this effect in a low-risk population.

The childhood obesity epidemic: a role for pediatric dentists?

Since the 1970s, the incidence of obesity has more than doubled for children 2 to 5 years of age and adolescents 12 to 19 years of age, and has more than tripled for children 6 to 11 years of age. The increasing numbers of overweight and obese children and youth has led federal policymakers to rank it as a critical health threat. The purpose of this review article is to raise awareness within the pediatric dental community about the childhood obesity epidemic. This article reviews the underlying causes of childhood obesity and discusses the links between both nutrition and obesity to caries. Because pediatric health professionals have daily contact with children and their caregivers, the role of pediatric dentists in preventing and managing obesity is proposed and discussed. In addition, methods are presented that pediatric dentists can use to elevate awareness and address childhood overweight and obesity issues from practice-based, community-based, and advocacy/policy-based perspectives. The authors share an array of ideas that can be incorporated by the pediatric dental team in their practice and beyond.