Trends and determinants of drinking water practices among North Carolina children.

Objectives: To identify trends and determinants of drinking water practices [bottled (BW) versus community water (CW) consumption] among families of pediatric patients presenting to an academic dental institution over 15 years.

Methods: Electronic health record data were obtained for all first-time routine-care patients ages 0-16 presenting to UNC-Chapel Hill's Pediatric Dentistry Clinics from 2002 to 2016, including families' primary drinking water source and patient demographics (e.g.

Drinking Water Practices Among Latino Families in North Carolina: A qualitative study.

The purpose of this study was to understand the beliefs, experiences and practices regarding drinking water among the North Carolina (NC) Latino community, and to gather information on what would make effective messages to promote fluoridated community water (CW) consumption among Latino families. Phone interviews were conducted with Latino stakeholders, consisting of parents of young children and key community informants (n=15). The interviews were audio-recorded, and transcripts were analyzed qualitatively using Atlas.

Enhancing Allied Dental Health Students' Understanding of Poverty through Simulation.

Poverty impacts the daily lives of over 40 million Americans. Allied dental health students need to be aware of the oral health barriers experienced by individuals with limited resources. The purpose of this exploratory descriptive study was to evaluate the impact of a poverty simulation exercise (PSE) on students' understanding of daily challenges faced by low-income families.

Enhancing Dental Students' Understanding of Poverty Through Simulation.

Dental students should develop an understanding of the barriers to and frustrations with accessing dental care and maintaining optimal oral health experienced by persons with limited resources rather than blaming the patient or caregiver. Developing this understanding may be aided by helping students learn about the lives of underserved and vulnerable patients they will encounter not only in extramural rotations, but throughout their careers. The aim of this study was to determine if dental students' understanding of daily challenges faced by families with low income changed as a result of a poverty simulation.

Framing Young Childrens Oral Health: A Participatory Action Research Project.

Background And Objectives: Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the importance of childhood oral health, little progress has been made in preventing early childhood caries. Limited information exists regarding specific daily-life and community-related factors that impede optimal oral hygiene, diet, care, and ultimately oral health for children. We sought to understand what parents of young children consider important and potentially modifiable factors and resources influencing their children's oral health, within the contexts of the family and the community.

Training Requirements and Curriculum Content for Primary Care Providers Delivering Preventive Oral Health Services to Children Enrolled in Medicaid.

Background And Objectives: Despite the emphasis on delivery of preventive oral health services in non-dental settings, limited information exists about state Medicaid policies and strategies to educate practicing physicians in the delivery of these services. This study aims to determine: (1) training requirements and policies for reimbursement of oral health services, (2) teaching delivery methods used to train physicians, and (3) curricula content available to providers among states that reimburse non-dental providers for oral health services.

Methods: Using Web-based Internet searches as the primary data source, and a supplemental e-mail survey of all states offering in-person training, we assessed training requirements, methods of delivery for training, and curriculum content for states with Medicaid reimbursement to primary care providers delivering preventive oral health services.

Dental and allied dental students' attitudes towards and perceptions of intraprofessional education.

Interprofessional and intraprofessional learning opportunities in health professions education are vital to emphasize evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and cost-effectiveness in patients' oral health care. The aim of this study was to assess dental, dental hygiene, and dental assisting students' readiness for intraprofessional education and to evaluate their attitudes towards and perceptions of intraprofessional teamwork, communication, respect, and understanding of professional roles. In 2013, students at one dental school (N=247) were surveyed, and focus groups were conducted for this convergent parallel mixed-methods study.

Adoption and implementation of policies to support preventive dentistry initiatives for physicians: a national survey of Medicaid programs.

Objectives: We determined the number of state Medicaid programs adopting initiatives to support preventive dental services provision by nondental health care professionals, their perceived attributes, and implementation barriers.

Methods: We used Qualtrics to conduct a cross-sectional survey in 2008 of Medicaid dental program managers to determine organizational stage of adoption classified according to the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change with 3-year follow-up. We assessed perceptions of the influence of 18 initiative attributes on the decision to adopt, drawn from Roger's diffusion of innovations theory.