Primary Care and Oral Health Integration: Comparing Training Across Disciplines.

Background: Primary care (PC) training programs must incorporate oral health (OH) into their curricula to reduce health disparities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare OH education integration across multiple PC disciplines.

Methods: In 2017, the authors surveyed deans and program directors (PDs) across 13 disciplines (2,245 PC programs) and used the Input Process Output framework to evaluate training factors across these disciplines.

Oral Health Training in Pediatric Residency Programs: Pediatric Program Directors' Perspectives.

A 2011 study evaluating oral health training in pediatric medical residency programs highlighted opportunities to improve residents' oral health competence. The aim of this 2017 follow-up study was to assess progress since 2011 in promoting development of pediatric residents' oral health competence. A survey was sent to all 281 pediatric and med-peds medical residency program directors to assess the structure and determinants of oral health training in their programs.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Early Childhood Obesity.

Objectives: The prevalence of childhood obesity is significantly higher among racial and/or ethnic minority children in the United States. It is unclear to what extent well-established obesity risk factors in infancy and preschool explain these disparities. Our objective was to decompose racial and/or ethnic disparities in children's weight status according to contributing socioeconomic and behavioral risk factors.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities: a Longitudinal Study of Growth Trajectories Among US Kindergarten Children.

Background/objectives: While previous studies have documented racial/ethnic disparities in childhood obesity, less is known about when disparities emerge, how they evolve, and the most appropriate early childhood period for targeted interventions. We examined racial/ethnic differences in growth trajectories among US kindergarten-aged children followed from birth and identified sensitive periods at which disparities emerge.

Subjects And Methods: This is a longitudinal study design using Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort data.

Assessing Preschoolers' Beverage Consumption Using the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Childhood obesity and caries are linked to sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and excessive juice consumption. We assessed psychosocial factors influencing children's beverage consumption and strategies to promote healthier choices. Using a quantitative and qualitative approach guided by the theory of planned behavior, we surveyed and interviewed 37 parents of preschool-aged children on barriers and facilitators of children's beverage consumption.

Childcare Attendance and Obesity Risk.

Background And Objectives: Several observational studies have revealed that children who receive nonparental childcare are at increased risk of obesity. However, this may be due to unmeasured confounding or selection into different types of childcare. It is not well established whether this association reflects a causal effect of childcare attendance on obesity risk.

Oral Health Disparities and Unmet Dental Needs among Preschool Children in Chelsea, MA: Exploring Mechanisms, Defining Solutions.

Background: Significant disparities exist in children's receipt of preventive dental care (PDC) in the United States. Many of the children at greatest risk of dental disease do not receive timely PDC; when they do receive dental care, it is often more for relief of dental pain. Chelsea is a low-income, diverse Massachusetts community with high rates of untreated childhood caries.

Addressing dental fear in children with autism spectrum disorders: a randomized controlled pilot study using electronic screen media.

Background: Dental care is a significant unmet health care need for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Many children with ASD do not receive dental care because of fear associated with dental procedures; oftentimes they require general anesthesia for regular dental procedures, placing them at risk of associated complications. Many children with ASD have a strong preference for visual stimuli, particularly electronic screen media.

An examination of racial/ethnic disparities in children's oral health in the United States.

Objective: To assess the extent factors other than race/ethnicity explain apparent racial/ethnic disparities in children's oral health and oral health care.

Methods: Data were from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, for children 2-17 years (n=82,020). Outcomes included parental reports of child's oral health status, receiving preventive dental care, and delayed dental care/unmet need.

Racial disparity trends in children's dental visits: US National Health Interview Survey, 1964-2010.

Background And Objective: Research that has repeatedly documented marked racial/ethnic disparities in US children's receipt of dental care at single time points or brief periods has lacked a historical policy perspective, which provides insight into how these disparities have evolved over time. Our objective was to examine the im-pact of national health policies on African American and white children's receipt of dental care from 1964 to 2010.

Methods: We analyzed data on race and dental care utilization for children aged 2 to 17 years from the 1964, 1976, 1989, 1999, and 2010 National Health Interview Survey.

Parental perspectives of early childhood caries.

BACKGROUND. Parental perspectives of children with early childhood caries may help inform the development and improvement of caries prevention strategies. OBJECTIVES.

Provision of fluoride varnish to Medicaid-enrolled children by physicians: the Massachusetts experience.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of a 2008 Medicaid policy in Massachusetts (MA), regarding reimbursing physicians for providing fluoride varnish (FV) to eligible children in medical settings.

Data Source: Survey of a sample of primary care physicians in MA.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey of a sample of physicians who provide care to MassHealth (MA Medicaid) enrolled-children.

Association between parents' and children's use of oral health services.

Objective: Several parental factors influence children's use of oral health services. Some localized studies have shown that children's dental use patterns correlate positively with those of their parents. The objective of this study was to investigate associations between parents' and children's oral health-seeking behaviors among a representative sample of US children.