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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Search Results: MCHLine

Items in this list may be obtained from the sources cited. Contact information reflects the most current data about the source that has been provided to the MCH Digital Library.


Displaying records 1 through 20 (346 total).

North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services and University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Center for Rural Health. n.d.. Protecting your smile in middle and high school. Bismarck, ND: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services and University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Center for Rural Health, 1 p.

Annotation: This fact sheet provides information about oral-health-related behaviors among students in middle and high school in North Dakota and offers suggestions for how they can maintain or improve their oral health. Suggestions are divided into things to do and things not to do. Examples of things to do include wearing a mouth guard while playing sports, brushing and flossing teeth daily, and visiting the dentist regularly. Examples of things not to do include regularly drinking sugary beverages, getting lip or tongue piercings, and smoking or chewing tobacco.

Keywords: Adolescent health, Chewing tobacco, Health care utilization, High school students, Middle schools, Mouth guards, North Dakota, Nutrition, Oral health, Oral hygiene, Smoking, State information

Indiana Department of Health. n.d.. Dental health curriculum for K-2. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Department of Health, 21 items.

Annotation: This training provides information to help kindergarten through grade 2 teachers incorporate oral health education into their curricula, with the goal of empowering students to maintain good oral hygiene, educating them on the importance of oral hygiene and preventive oral health care, and helping build healthy habits and understand the link between oral health and overall well-being. The training comprises three sections (tabs): teacher materials, lessons, and videos. Teacher materials include handouts and a 30-minute training video. The lessons and videos sections include materials to use with students.

Keywords: Videos, Curricula, Dental caries, Health care utilization, Oral health, Oral health education, Oral hygiene, Prevention, School age children, School health, Training

National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety. 2025. Getting to know me: Information for your dental office while you are pregnant. Washington, DC: National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety, 1 p.

Annotation: This form is designed as a tool for pregnant women to provide information to help dental office staff understand and meet their needs. The form includes information about prenatal care received, what the woman does to take care of her mouth and teeth, and what questions she has about taking care of her mouth and teeth. It also includes information about problems experienced during pregnancy and whether the woman smokes, vapes, or drinks alcohol. It is available in English and Spanish. [Funded in part by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Keywords: Forms, Health care utilization, Oral health, Pregnant women, Prevention, Spanish language materials, Treatment

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Oral Health Section. 2025. Inside I-Smile: 2024 update on children's oral health. Des Moines, IA: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Oral Health Section, 2 pp.

Annotation: This fact sheet provides information about Iowa children's oral health in 2023. Information about the I-Smile program is provided, along with a discussion of the importance of good oral health in children. The fact sheet also includes statistics related to the number of Iowa children who received assistance from I-Smile in fiscal year 2023; the percentages of Iowa children enrolled in Medicaid who received a service from a dentist in 2021, 2022, and 2023; and the percentages of Iowa children enrolled in Medicaid who received a service from a dentist in 2023, by age.

Keywords: Data, Dental caries, Fluoride, Health care utilization, Iowa, Medicaid, Oral health, Prevention, Screening tests, State programs

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. 2025. The dental home is where good oral health starts: Sociodemographic factors associated with having a usual source of dental care. Boston, MA: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, 7 pp.

Annotation: This report provides information about sociodemographic factors associated with having a usual source of oral health care, including the types of practices where adults regularly seek oral care (i.e., their dental home). It also offers information on factors associated with the type of dental home they use (i.e., private practice, dental service organization, community health center). It explains what a dental home is and discusses the impact of having one on use of oral health care and oral health status. Methods are discussed.

Keywords: Access to health care, Health care utilization, Oral health, Oral health care, Sociodemographic factors

Smith LB, O;Brien C, Wei K, Waidmann TA, Kenney GM. 2025. Medicaid-covered dental visits during and after pregnancy: Analysis of Medicaid claims data from 45 states. Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 24 pp.

Annotation: This brief provides information about Medicaid-covered dental visits and dental-related emergency department visit rates during the perinatal period. The information is based on 2018–2019 Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program encounter data and dental claims from over 200,000 women during the postpartum period from 45 states and the District of Columbia. It presents variations in receipt of oral health care during the perinatal period according to enrollee age, state of residence, extent of Medicaid coverage of dental services, and state Medicaid expansion status.

Keywords: Emergency room, Health care utilization, Low income groups, Medicaid, Oral health, Perinatal health, Perinatal services, Postpartum care, Pregnant women

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. 2025. Dental care in crisis: Tracking the cost and prevalence of emergency department visits for non-traumatic dental conditions. Boston, MA: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, 6 pp.

Annotation: This report focuses on the importance of tracking emergency department use trends for non-traumatic dental care visits. It includes information on the following selected findings during the period 2019–2022: use trends, cost trends, visit rates by age, visit rates for people enrolled in Medicaid compared with those with private insurance, and visit rates for people living in small or medium metropolitan areas compared with those living in a central cosmopolitan county or a rural area.

Keywords: Dental insurance, Emergency room, Geographic factors, Health care utilization, Low income groups, Medicaid, Oral health, Trends

Dembo R, Honsberger K. [2024]. Preventative dental care among children with disabilities. Chicago, IL: NORC at the University of Chicago, 4 pp.

Annotation: This data brief explores the extent to which children with developmental disabilities receive preventive oral health care and how their use of oral health care compares to that of children without developmental disabilities. The brief provides information to support two conclusions: (1) children with developmental disabilities tend to be less likely to have had a preventive visit with an oral health professional in the past year than children without developmental disabilities and (2) preventive oral health care such as cleanings, X-rays, and fluoride treatment is provided less frequently to children with most types of developmental disabilities than to children without developmental disabilities.

Keywords: Access to health care, Developmental disabilities, Fluoride, Health care utilization, Oral health, Prevention, Radiography, Special health care needs

Delta Dental Plans Association. 2024. The 2024 state of America's oral health and wellness report. Oak Brook, IL: Delta Dental Plans Association, 14 pp.

Annotation: This annual report commissioned by Delta Dental provides data on and an analysis of oral health and overall health behaviors among adults and children across the United States. The report also discusses consumers’ understanding of the link between oral health and chronic conditions, the connection between oral hygiene and mental health, and the benefits of receiving preventive oral health care. Also addressed are adults' adherence to preventive oral health behaviors, trends in preventive oral health care visits, and dental insurance coverage among adults.

Keywords: Chronic illnesses and disabilities, Data, Health care utilization, Mental health, Oral health, Prevention

Schroeder S, Greiner B, Stepanov A. 2024. Oral health status and dental visits by race. Bismarck, ND: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, 13 pp.

Annotation: This report provides information about oral health status and dental visits among children in grades K through 12 and pregnant women in North Dakota. Topics include students in kindergarten, students in third grade, students in grades through 12 participating in SEALIND, medical-dental integration in a family medical center, and pregnancy.

Keywords: Adolescents, Dental caries, Dental sealants, Health care utilization, North Dakota, Oral health, Pregnant women, Racial factors, School health, School-age children, Service integration, State information, State programs, Toothbrushing

Texas Department of State Health Services. 2024. Oral health among Texas children: National survey of children's health, 2020-2021. Austin, TX: Texas Department of State Health Services, 1 p.

Annotation: This fact sheet provides information on oral health among children and adolescents ages 1–17 in Texas in 2020–2021. The information is based on results of the 2021–2022 National Survey of Children's Health. Topics include the likelihood of children from high-income vs. lower-income households having excellent or very good teeth; the likelihood of Hispanic children vs. non-Hispanic children having excellent or very good teeth, differences in having had one or more preventive oral health visit, by age; and the overall condition of children's and adolescents' teeth, as reported by parents.

Keywords: Adolescent health, Age factors, Child health, Data, Dental caries, Health care utilization, Hispanic Americans, Income factors, Oral health, Prevention, State information, Surveys, Texas

Texas Department of State Health Services. 2024. Oral health among pregnant women in Texas: Pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system, 2016-2020. Austin, TX: Texas Department of State Health Services, 1 p.

Annotation: This fact sheet for consumers provides information about oral health among pregnant women in Texas. Data presented is from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). The fact sheet explains why taking care of teeth and gums during pregnancy is safe and important. It also provides the percentage of pregnant women in the state who did not visit a dentist during pregnancy because they did not think it was safe to do so; the percentage who had a dental cleaning during pregnancy; and the likelihood of receiving a dental cleaning for white, black and Hispanic pregnant women. The fact sheet is written in simple language.

Keywords: Consumer education materials, Data, Health care utilization, Oral health, Pregnant women, Racial factors, Safety, State information, Texas

Rocky Mountain Network of Oral Health. 2024. Tiny tooth survey: Parent oral health survey. [Denver, CO: Rocky Mountain Network of Oral Health], 10 pp.

Annotation: This parent oral health survey form was sent to parents or caregivers of children who received care from the Rocky Mountain Network of Oral Health, which was part of the Networks for Oral Health Integration (NOHI) Within the Maternal and Child Health Safety Net program. The form includes questions related to fluoride varnish, the respondent's knowledge about oral health care and oral hygiene for children, oral health care that the child has received, and background information about the respondent.

Keywords: Attitudes, Caregivers, Dental caries, Fluoride varnish, Health care utilization, Oral health, Oral hygiene, Parents, Prevention, Surveys

Herndon J, Ojha D, Layman S, Colangelo E, Shimpi N, Aravamudhan K. 2024. Selected quality measures of oral health care for children. Chicago, IL: Dental Quality Alliance; Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, 6 pp.

Annotation: This brief provides a national summary of selected oral health care quality measures for children developed by the Dental Quality Alliance (DQA) and displayed in DQA's State Oral Healthcare Quality Dashboard. The brief offers information on the following selected measures: Oral Evaluation, Dental Services (by or under the supervision of a dentist); Topical Fluoride for Children; and Sealant Receipt on Permanent First Molars. Data is presented on these three measures for the period 2016–2020.

Keywords: Data, Dental sealants, Fluoride, Health care utilization, Medical evaluation, Oral health

National Network for Oral Health Access. 2024. A guide to support dental patients experiencing intimate partner violence and exploitation. Denver, CO: National Network for Oral Health Access, 2 pp.

Annotation: This guide for oral health professionals provides information about identifying and supporting patients who have experienced or are experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), human trafficking (HT), or exploitation (E). The goal of the guide is to help oral health professionals understand why dental appointments are a trigger for some patients, identify protocols for implementing IPV, HT, and E responses, and make these patients' appointment as successful as possible. Topics include what to do before the dental appointment and how to conduct the appointment. A companion brochure for consumers is also available.

Keywords: Domestic violence, Emotional abuse, Health care utilization, Oral health, Partner abuse

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 2024. Oral health: Maintaining the well-being of your mouth, teeth, and gums. New York, NY: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 1 p.

Annotation: This fact sheet for consumers provides information about how to have a healthy mouth, including healthy teeth and gums. Topics include how to eat well to promote mouth health, keeping teeth clean, staying hydrated, considering braces, visiting the dentist regularly, and avoiding smoking and vaping. The fact sheet is also available in other languages, including Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (traditional and simplified), French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, and Yiddish.

Keywords: Consumer education materials, Drinking water, Health care utilization, Nutrition, Oral health, Orthodontics, Prevention, Smoking, Tobacco use

Wilson K, Haber J, Casamassimo PS, Russell B, Glicken A. 2024. Championing minimally invasive care: Aligning advocacy to transform oral health. Boston, MA: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, 25 pp.

Annotation: This report provides information about minimally invasive care (MIC) and the importance of advocating for its use in the treatment of oral disease. The report provides background information on how MIC can increase access to oral health treatment, ease anxiety about receiving oral health treatment, and help people achieve good oral health throughout life. Topics include implementing advocacy messaging, audiences for advocacy, evaluation of MIC and considerations for its use, and key messages. A talking points summary is included.

Keywords: Access to health care, Advocacy, Health care utilization, Oral health, Treatment

Hashmi S. 2024. Children's oral health matters for school success. [Sacramento, CA]: California Department of Public Health Center for Healthy Communities and California Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health, 1 p.

Annotation: This fact sheet provides information about why it is important for children and adolescents to have good oral health to succeed in school. It provides information about the impact of tooth decay on school attendance, the number of children and adolescents who missed at least one school day due to oral health problems in the past year, and the cost to school districts of students missing school days. Information on how parents can help ensure that their child has a healthy mouth and teeth and is successful in school is also presented.

Keywords: Academic achievement, Adolescent health, Costs, Dental caries, Health care utilization, Oral health, Prevention, School age children

Watson K, Le L, Burns B, DeFrancis Sun B, Mayer R, Richards J. 2024. Preventive dental visit: What Works evidence accelerator--Summarizing effective strategies for MCH. Washington, DC: National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health, Strengthen the Evidence for MCH Programs, 7 pp.

Annotation: This brief, which is part of the What Works Evidence Accelerators series, provides background information and a summary of effective strategies to advance the national performance measures on preventive dental visits for children and for pregnant women. The strategies support increasing the percentages of pregnant women and children who had a dental visit in the past year. The brief includes an overview of the issues; data; and information on oral health outcomes, disparities in outcomes, children and youth with special health care needs, and partnership and the role of Title V.

Keywords: Access to health care, Health care utilization, Oral health, Oral health equity, Partnership, Pregnant women, Prevention, Special health care needs, Title V programs

Williams E, Rudowitz R. 2024. Variation in use of dental services by children and adults enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP. Menlo Park, CA: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 14 pp.

Annotation: This brief describes Medicaid dental coverage, examines use of dental services among children and adult Medicaid beneficiaries, and discusses current challenges and policy changes that impact access to dental services for beneficiaries. Selected topics include Medicaid coverage of dental services, variations in use of dental services by type of service and other characteristics, variations in use of dental services across states, variations by state in the share of children under age 21 who are Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries who use any dental services, and current challenges to and strategies for expanding access to dental services.

Keywords: Access to health care, Adult health, Health care utilization, Health insurance, Medicaid, Oral health

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The MCH Digital Library is one of six special collections at Geogetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. The library is supported through foundation, univerity, state, and federal funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by the U.S. Government. Note: web pages whose development was supported by federal government grants are being reviewed to comply with applicable Executive Orders.