Navigating Disparities in Dental Health-A Transit-Based Investigation of Access to Dental Care in Virginia.

Objective: To identify vulnerable areas and populations with limited access to dental care in Virginia, the study aimed (1) to calculate travel time and accessibility scores to dental care in Virginia using a transit-based accessibility model for all dental clinics and dental clinics participating in the Medicaid dental program and (2) to estimate factors associated with accessibility to dental clinics participating in the Medicaid dental program in Virginia.

Methods: The study used building footprints as origins of transit trips to dental care services (or destinations). The study then computed transit-based origin-destination travel time matrices based on the detailed trip information, including in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle travel time.

Perceived Impacts of the Expanded Child Tax Credit Cessation Based on Family Income Level.

The 2021 Expanded Child Tax Credit (ECTC) lifted millions of children out of poverty and drastically improved well-being. These impacts were particularly salient for families with lower income among those who received the full ECTC benefit. This study gathered lived experiences on the ECTC cessation and explored differential impacts across income levels to inform discussions around policy restoration.

Effect of motivational interviewing on preventive strategies for children receiving full-mouth dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Motivational interviewing (MI) is an approach to increase parental compliance to follow up and recall of their children. It has proven to be successful in motivating parents to adopt and maintain preventive child oral health behaviors.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of motivational interviewing on prevention strategies for parents of children who have received full-mouth dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia (GA).

The Impact of Dental Operatory Color on Anxiety in Committed Youth.

To examine the impact of dental operatory room color on the level of anxiety in committed youth at a juvenile correctional center. A randomized controlled trial was conducted at a juvenile correctional center using an approved continuous quality assurance survey. The dental assistant collected self-reported anxiety scores from 164 individuals alternating between two dental operatory rooms.