Bright Smiles for Babies is a workshop for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and others who are interested in preventive dental care for children under the age of 3. Medicaid (Fee-for-Service and Virginia Premier Managed Care) reimburses medical providers for the application of fluoride varnish at the rate of $20.79 per application.

Goal: To provide medical providers with a foundation of oral health information related to Early Childhood Caries, and strategies to implement a preventive oral health program into their practice.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Discuss the prevalence of tooth decay in children, including the existing disparities between income levels.
• Define and recognize Early Childhood Caries, and its' impact on general health and well-being.
• Describe the etiology of dental caries.
• Discuss the risk factors associated with Early Childhood Caries.
• Discuss the role of daily oral hygiene, dietary practices, and fluoride, as preventive strategies for dental caries.
• Describe the three components of providing an oral health prevention program.
• Describe and perform an oral screening and risk assessment.
• Apply fluoride varnish to primary teeth.
• Provide anticipatory guidance materials to parent.

Clinicians in qualifying fields will also earn two Continuing Education Units for participating.

Tooth decay is one of the most common preventable diseases in children. Dental disease can occur in very young children - nearly 4 out of 10 children have cavities by the time they enter kindergarten. Children often visit pediatricians, family physicians, and general physicians early in life for routine health care before visiting a dentist. This program hopes to increase early recognition of disease and prevention through training dental and non-dental health professionals.

The "Bright Smiles for Babies" Program was developed to targeted children from birth to three years old at highest risk for dental decay and includes:

• Oral Health Education and Anticipatory Guidance
• Screening and Risk Assessment
• Fluoride Varnish Application