Authors: Wright Cassandra, Coley Sandra.
Introduction: The oral health report card on pregnant women and children in the US is concerning. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), expectant mothers face an increased risk of gingivitis and caries due to changes in hormones and diet, compounded by the effects of morning sickness, nausea, and vomiting on oral hygiene [1].CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) say that tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in the US, with more than half of children ages six to eight having had a cavity in at least one baby tooth [2].
Unity Health Care, Inc., a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in Washington, DC, launched a project in 2019 to address social determinants of health across a spectrum of inner city health center patients. To improve access to dental care for underserved populations, they introduced the role of CDHCs (community dental health coordinators) in several of their health centers to navigate patients to dental care.
Methods and Materials: Unity’s one-year project to coordinate dental care for underserved populations began with the recruitment of candidates for CDHC training. Upon graduation, the CDHCs implemented a four-pronged approach to navigate targeted patients (pregnant women, children ages nine and under, seniors with diabetes, and people with HIV with comorbidities into the three phases of dental care: emergent/acute, preventive, and restorative.
Results/Conclusions: Despite COVID’s impact on recruitment, the CDHC care coordination model proved successful: 460 patients were navigated into initial care with CDHCs and an impressive 72.83% requested additional support. During the project term, 15% (69) were in progress or had completed Phase 1 treatment (acute/pain); 66.31% (305) were in progress or had completed Phase 2 treatment (preventive); and 9.34% (43) were in progress or had completed Phase 3 treatment (restorative).