Engaging in Oral Health for Children

A little boy was taken to the dentist. It was discovered that he had a cavity that would have to be filled. "Now, young man," asked the dentist, "what kind of filling would you like for that tooth?" "Chocolate, please," replied the youngster.

Chocolate would certainly have been my first choice when I was a child, but with three boys of my own, I know that oral hygiene is a key aspect of our overall health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gum disease, or periodontitis, is the second most common oral disease in the world after tooth decay. Beyond all of the trouble it can cause in the mouth – from bad breath and swollen gums, to jaw infection and tooth loss - periodontal disease causes chronic inflammation, which could play a role in other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

Experts recommend children begin seeing a dentist before their first birthday. Beginning life-long practices of good oral hygiene in childhood is just as important as instilling healthy eating and exercise habits to make sure our kids live long, healthy lives. But more likely than not, those children who are not eating well also lack access to proper oral hygiene.

Recognizing this need in our community, UnitedHealthcare teamed up with Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry to launch Project Engage, an initiative designed to improve the oral health of children enrolled in the state’s Medicaid health plan. The program will begin by working with children and families in North Philadelphia with the goal of expanding the initiative to other parts of the state and country.

UnitedHealthcare's donation to Temple University will help build
an oral health registry to improve the dental health of Philadelphia children.

Project Engage focuses on improving the oral health of children by creating an oral health registry, which will use dental claims information and operating and emergency department histories to identify children at risk of developing tooth decay. Those children and their families will then be contacted by a community health worker to receive information, counseling and assistance with scheduling dental appointments. Public health dental hygienists will also be available to provide in-home care and additional treatments, such as fluoride varnishes and sealants, if needed. In addition, primary care physicians and general dentists will be trained on preventive screenings.

UnitedHealthcare has had great success with other oral health interventions across the country, so I’m looking forward to having one here in Pennsylvania. It’s certainly something worth smiling about!