Fluoride is nature’s cavity fighter. Community Fluoridation is named one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century by the CDC. Health care providers can join the conversation by talking with patients about fluoride; download these resources to learn more.
Tag: Community Education
Access to Baby & Child Dentistry (ABCD) Program
Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) program staff helps eligible kids access ABCD-certified dentists by providing case management and technical assistance. If a child has Apple Health (Medicaid), they are eligible to receive the following through ABCD:
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Fluoride varnish applications
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Dental examinations
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Parent education sessions
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Restorative care as needed
Children who participate in the ABCD program are more likely to have their first dental visit before age two and receive care before oral health problems arise. They also can receive dental care from one of more than 100 ABCD-certified dentists in Spokane County.
The goal of ABCD is to reduce the extent of disparities in dental health for Spokane’s young children by decreasing dental disease rates with early access to preventative dental care. ABCD emphasizes early intervention, prevention, education, and comprehensive care.
The Washington State Health Care Authority and ARCORA Foundation fund the ABCD program at SRHD.
Children under age 6 using Washington state’s Apple Health/Provider One medical coverage are eligible for the ABCD program. For additional information, see the state-wide website.
What’s new?
ABCD expanded! Starting January 2022, the program will include children with a Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) indicator through age 12.
The dentists must be ABCD providers and take additional Phase III training. Phase III includes training on explicit and implicit biases and barriers to accessing care. This training also focuses on providing services for children with communication disorders, patients with specific dietary needs, and sensory sensitivities. Dentists will also be able to give parents and caregivers guidance on facilitating home oral hygiene.
Translation Resources
ABCD Dental Flyers – English, Marshallese, Spanish, and Russian —>> OPEN
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – Oral Health
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is a national resource with guidelines and practices regarding oral health. The CDC’s Division of Oral Health (DOH) provides leadership to improve the nation’s oral health. They promote proven interventions, including community water fluoridation and dental sealants, to reduce the rate of cavities, especially for populations with the highest risk.
Fluoridation: Improving Children’s Oral Health
The first time I saw a child with teeth destroyed to the gumlines, I thought he had ectodermal dysplasia. Never heard of that? It’s a very rare inborn condition. I had seen it twice during my training at Cook County Hospital, but I had never seen what this Spokane boy had in the spring of 1985. Cavities had rotted out all of his front teeth.
The difference? Chicago’s water is fluoridated. Spokane’s water is not.
Spokane is way behind. In the U.S., 73 percent of people have access to a good balance of fluoride. Without balancing fluoride in the water, Spokanites have to take extra steps to protect their teeth — steps the rest of the country rarely considers.
Our dental community has worked hard to improve the dental health of our children. They created the ABCD Program to provide free dental care to children. The dentist, family physicians, and pediatricians of Spokane have worked together to provide fluoride varnish and dental education to our families.
These medical professionals have done everything in their power to help prevent cavities. Unfortunately for working families who cannot take time off, going to the dentist — even for free — or to the physicians’ office is too difficult.
I remember helping chaperone one of my son’s 5th-grade class on a field trip. The children in my group were amazed I had my real teeth, not dentures because none of their moms, dads, and grandparents did.
We need to change this reality. It’s time for Spokane’s water to become fluoridated. Good oral health leads to better overall health. One of the most efficient and cost-effective things we could do in our community is to adjust the level of fluoride in our water to provide a good balance for health.
The Mighty Mouth
The Mighty Mouth is an educational campaign launched throughout Washington State to help people understand that oral disease can be prevented. Its mission is to build social norms around the benefits of preventing oral disease and to deliver the message that oral health is essential to overall health.
