From: Wake County Human Services Dental Health and Prenatal Clinic
Purpose:
- Promote the use of dental services by expectant mothers to improve birth outcomes and maximize visits to dental clinic by children from birth to age 3.
- Assure access to dental services to children with obvious need but no ability to pay for care.
How:
- Contact 720 first time prenatal patients per year.
- Provide exam, cleaning, education and treatment.
- Offer group educational sessions to expectant mothers, fathers, and others involved in caring for newborn.
- Schedule newborns for appointments at Health Smiles preventive clinic at six-month intervals.
- Provide fluoride varnish applications.
- Refer children eligible for Dental Health Fund to private dentists.
Outcomes:
- Track appointment compliance and dental care to first time mothers.
- Survey perceptions of oral health and value placed on oral health.
- Compare children of participating mothers to others in clinic on following six month appointment intervals and decay rates.
- Secure dental care for 120 to 125 children with severe need.
Cost/Term: $441,562 over three years. July 2006-June 2009