Oral Health and Children
- Early childhood caries (cavities) is the number 1 chronic disease affecting young children.
- Early childhood caries is 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever.
- Tooth pain keeps many children home from school or distracted from learning.
- Children are recommended to have their first dental visit by age 1.
Yet many children and their families have trouble accessing oral health care and pediatricians may not know where to turn to help them.
The American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Oral Health and Chapter Oral Health Advocates provide education, training, and advocacy for pediatricians, dentists, other health professionals, and families.
The importance of improving children's oral health and strategies to do so are included in the Academic Pediatrics Special Issue on Children's Oral Health.
Together we can make a difference by improving communication and collaboration between the medical and dental homes and making pediatricians and other health professionals an essential part of the oral health team!
News and Highlights
- Working Together to Promote Oral Health Care for Pregnant Women Webinar recording, slide set and additional resources.
- New Oral Health Care for Children with Developmental Disabilities Clinical Report
- New EQIPP - Oral Health in Primary Care Course! Enroll now to learn how to incorporate oral health into your practice and track your progress.
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AAP joins the Campaign for Dental Health to increase awareness of community water fluoridation.
- Pediatricians can become members of the AAP Section on Oral Health for free! Simply email oralhealth@aap.org. All new members receive a free flip chart (while supplies last)!
- AAP/Bright Futures Oral Health Risk Assessment Tool
- Protecting All Children’s Teeth curriculum CME extended through 2015!
