AN INVESTIGATION INTO CHILD CARIES AND CREATION OF PREVENTATIVE CURRICULUM TO DECREASE DENTAL DECAY RATES IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Dental decay is the most common chronic pediatric disease. Despite the ability to prevent and even reverse decay, it remains four times more common than asthma. While dental decay is worrisome on its own, it is also associated with high rates of school absenteeism, lower quality of life, and other costly diseases such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Additionally, dental decay disproportionately affects low income and minority children. In order to address this epidemic past interventions have utilized school-based models to decrease disparities in access to care. While many programs have been successful by providing services such as fluoride varnish and dental screenings, few have focused on education as a driver for preventative care. Therefore, this paper proposes a new model for a school-based dental intervention with the goals of increasing oral health care knowledge, decreasing the incidence of dental decay, and helping connect students to permanent dental providers. The intervention draws from the successes and shortcomings of past interventions as well as educational strategy research. Hopefully, upon the implementation of this intervention in schools, children will gain a deeper understanding of how and why to prevent dental decay and the overall incidence will decrease.