Educational Materials for Health Professionals

Dental disease is the most prevalent infectious disease among children in the United States. More than 40 percent of children have tooth decay by the time they reach kindergarten. In 2009, only seven percent of Ohio Medicaid-eligible children less than 2 years of age had a dental visit. However, most of these children received either an initial or periodic health screen through a primary care physician. Because primary care providers are more likely than dentists to see very young, high-risk children, it makes sense to educate and train primary care providers on the risk of early childhood caries and other aspects of oral health.

The Ohio Department of Health has developed a number of oral health education materials for training nondental health care professionals.  A one-page synopsis of materials and training is available.

New! Oral Health Care During Pregnancy: A National Consensus Statement is a new publication from the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (NMCOHRC) that presents a consensus statement from an expert workgroup meeting held by the Health Resources and Services Administration in collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Dental Association (October 18, 2011, Washington, DC.) The document provides guidance for prenatal and oral health professionals on oral health care for pregnant women, including pharmacological considerations and guidance to share with pregnant women.

New! Smiles for Ohio—Fluoride Varnish: Training for Primary Medical Care Providers Serving Young Children Enrolled in Medicaid

Fluoride varnish is a very effective way to provide the benefits of fluoride to children at high risk for decay. In Ohio, the application of fluoride varnish in high risk children under 3 years of age is a reimbursable procedure through Medicaid. A new self-study course is available for primary medical care providers interested in improving the oral health of young children enrolled in Medicaid. This course is designed to provide Medicaid/Healthchek primary medical care and other health care providers with knowledge needed to reduce the incidence of dental caries among children under 3 years of age and to contribute to the establishment of a dental home. The course was adapted with permission from Maryland’s Mouths Matter, a curriculum developed by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. This free, Web-based course consists of four modules and provides continuing education credit for nurses and physicians.

Now available! The online Help Me Smile self-study course provides high quality oral health materials for home visitors and professionals providing services to caregivers, pregnant mothers, infants, toddlers, young children and adolescents.  The audience for this course includes home visitors and professionals working in the Help Me Grow program, the Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps, the Child and Family Health Services program, Early Head Start/Head Start, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the Department of Developmental Disabilities, child care staff members and child care providers.  Each learner who participates in the self- study will have access to electronic .pdf files that can be downloaded and/or printed. The training is free and approved for 1.1 hour continuing education for nurses, dietitians and child care providers, and those who provide services to the mentally retarded and developmentally disabled.

Guidelines for Oral Health Screening in Ohio's Schools provides practical guidance for school nurses who choose to conduct school-based oral health screening. School-based oral health screening is optional in Ohio. The decision to do a screening should be based on an assessment of school and community dental resources available for referring students for oral health care. Conducting an oral screening in school is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of regular oral health care and examination by a dentist. The guidelines include a training DVD (Part 1 and Part 2) and a full color pocket reference guide. Printed copies of the materials are available to Ohio school nurses by submitting a completed order form to the Oral Health program.

Oral Care Basics for Caregivers is a 21-minute instructional video/DVD and booklet for direct-care providers in group homes, nursing homes or home-care settings and can be purchased for $6.

The Dental First Aid Chart outlines procedures for administering dental first aid following a head or mouth injury.

Other Resources

New!  The American Academy of Pediatrics has launched its new Children's Oral Health website that provides easy-to-use oral health practice tools, resources, education and training for pediatricians and other health care professionals.

Smiles for Life, developed by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, is an interactive oral health educational curriculum designed for primary care clinicians.  Its seven modules cover the relationship of oral to systemic health, child oral health, adult oral health, dental emergencies, oral health in pregnancy, fluoride varnish and the oral examination.  It includes interactive online courses and clinical cases for individual and small group education, downloadable PowerPoint modules suitable for larger group presentations, instructional videos and patient education materials.

A complete list of other training and resource materials for health professionals interested in oral health risk assessment training can be accessed at the NMCOHRC website. 

In addition to these items, please visit Educational Materials for the Public and Oral Health Topics on our Home page to learn about fact sheets and other resources to use when providing guidance to patients.

Last Updated: 4/17/13

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