Skip Navigation

Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

Sign up for MCHalert eNewsletter

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 (1,183 total).

Hansen KA, Kaufmann RK, Saifer S. n.d.. Education and the culture of democracy: Early childhood practice. Washington, DC: Children's Resources International, 132 pp. (Step by Step: A program for children and families)

Annotation: This book provides a framework for understanding the relationship between early childhood education and the capacity to function effectively in a democracy. It offers guidance, examples, methods, and language to help prepare young children to grow within the culture of democracy. Topics include education and democracy; the child-centered classroom; creating a plan for the child-centered classroom; equality; skills, talent, and creativity; encouragement of positive behavior; development of healthy habits; communication with other children, parents, and others; family and community involvement, and the transition to elementary school.

Keywords: Child behavior, Communication, Communities, Early childhood development, Early childhood education, Elementary school children, Families, Parents, Preschool children, Young children

American Optometric Association. n.d.. Ready for school: Understanding the difference between vision screenings and vision examinations. St. Louis, MO: American Optometric Association, 2 pp.

Annotation: This fact sheet for parents provides information about the difference between vision screenings and vision examinations and explains why it is important for young children to receive comprehensive vision and eye examinations conducted by a doctor before they start school. The fact sheet explains the essential elements of a comprehensive eye examination used to ensure that learning is maximized through good vision.

Keywords: Child health, Consumer education materials, Eye diseases, Screening, Vision, Vision disorders, Vision screening, Vision tests, Young children

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Program. n.d.. Help for families when an infant or young child dies. Hackensack, NJ: Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Program, 2 pp.

Annotation: This brochure is designed for coroners or medical examiners to give to families of an infant or a young child who has died suddenly. It outlines the roles of the professionals that may be involved in investigating the death, gives time estimates for the investigation process, and lists national resources. It can be used for all manners of sudden pediatric deaths. A sample of this brochure is available online; agencies can order a customized version that includes their local information. It is available in three versions: coroner only, medical examiner only, and coroner/medical examiner combined.

Keywords: Consumer education materials, Coroners, Death scene investigation, Infants, Medical examiners, Role, Sudden death, Young children

American Academy of Pediatrics. n.d.. Tips to promote social-emotional health among young children. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics, 4 pp.

National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness. n.d.. Health tips for families series. [Elk Grove Village, IL]: National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness, 13 items.

Annotation: These fact sheets for families in Head Start programs cover a variety of health topics related to children. Topics include active play, health literacy, understanding and using health information, healthy breathing at home (asthma prevention), healthy eating, mental health, oral health, and safety and injury prevention. The materials are available in Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Burmese, Chinese, English, Hmong, Marshallese, Polish, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Yiddish.

Keywords: Asthma, Child safety, Consumer education materials, Families, Head Start, Health literacy, Health promotion, Injury prevention, Mental health, Nutrition, Oral health, Physical activity, Play, Smoking, Spanish language materials, Young children

San Juan Basin Public Health. n.d.. SJBPH oral health videos. San Juan Basin Public Health, 4 videos.

Annotation: These videos provide information about oral health for children and adolescents in pre-kindergarten to grade 2, grades 3–5, grades 6–8, and grades 9–12. The videos discuss the importance of oral health, how to keep the teeth and mouth healthy, the importance of toothbrushing and flossing, and the importance of eating healthy foods and drinking water and avoiding foods and drinks high in sugar. They also explain what tooth decay and gum disease are and discuss the importance of visiting the dentist and what happens during dental visits.

Keywords: , Adolescents, Gingivitis, Oral health, Oral health care, Oral hygiene, Prevention, Videotapes, Young children

Children's Oral Health Network of Maine. n.d.. Dental steps for ME. [no place]: Children's Oral Health Network of Maine, multiple items.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Center for Health and Environmental Data, Health Surveys and Evaluation Branch. n.d.. Cavity free at three: CDC evaluation 2013-2018. Denver, CO: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Center for Health and Environmental Data, 20 pp.

Annotation: This report provides information on a 5-year comprehensive program evaluation of Cavity Free at Three. The report offers background information on Cavity Free at Three as well as on the program’s infrastructure development. Methods related to the data-collection process and evaluation-question development are discussed, and results are presented for the following four areas: training data, pre/post data, technical assistance data, and impact data.

Keywords: Data, Dental caries, Oral health, Prevention, Program development, Program evaluation, Young children

National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness. n.d.. Facilitating a referral for mental health services for children and their families. Itasca, IL: National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness, 8 pp.

Annotation: This guide describes how Head Start and Early Head start programs can facilitate mental health screening and referrals for children and families. It explains how Head Start staff can prepare for the referrral and engage families in the process and facilitate the process once the referral has been made. A referral checklist and a guide to help facilitators locate mental health providers are included.

Keywords: Early Head Start, Families, Head Start Centers, Mental health, Referrals, Young children

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. n.d.. The Head Start dental home initiative: Partnering to provide dental homes and optimal oral health for Head Start children throughout the U.S.. Chicago, IL: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 2 pp.

Annotation: This report provides background on an initiative launched as a partnership between the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists and the Office of Head Start with the purpose of establishing dental homes for young children who may otherwise go without oral health care. The report explains the requirements of the contract, offers background on both organizations, and discusses what the initiative hopes to accomplish for infants and children enrolled in the Head Start program or Early Head Start program. It also details what the initiative will do to provide parents and Head Start staff with evidence-based information about how to help prevent tooth decay, and it describes how a national network of pediatric and general dentists will be organized under the initiative.

Keywords: Access to health care, Collaboration, Dental caries, Head Start, Infant health, Initiatives, Low income groups, Prevention, Tooth decay, Young children

Bright Futures/American Academy of Pediatrics. 2025. Recommendations for preventive pediatric health care. Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics, 2 pp.

Annotation: This paper provides recommendations for health professionals that represent a consensus by the American Academy of Pediatrics and Bright Futures about the periodicity of health services for infants, children, and adolescents. The recommendations emphasize the importance of continuity of care in comprehensive health supervision, including oral health supervision, and the need to avoid fragmentation of care.

Keywords: Adolescents, Children, Comprehensive health care, Health supervision, Infants, Oral health, Pediatric care, Preventive health services, Young adults

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Primary Care and Health Access, Office of Oral Health. 2025. Fluoride varnish training manual for Massachusetts healthcare professionals. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Primary Care and Health Access, Office of Oral Health, 11 pp.

Annotation: This manual is designed to help non-oral-health professionals implement fluoride-varnish application for infants, children, and adolescents ages 6 months to 21 years who are enrolled in Massachusetts’ Medicaid program. The manual includes instructions on how to complete the online Smiles for Life training, which is required for health professionals to apply fluoride varnish for this population. It also discusses how to begin using fluoride varnish in a practice as well as how to keep fluoride varnish notes and how to bill for fluoride varnish application. Basic information about fluoride varnish application and information to share with parents and other caregivers is included.

Keywords: Adolescents, Children, Clinical coding, Consumer education materials, Dental caries, Disease prevention, Fluorides, Infants, Manuals, Massachusetts, Medicaid, Oral health, Oral health care, Preventive health services, Reimbursement, Resources for professionals, Risk assessment, State programs, Training, Young adults

National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Wellness. 2025. A guide to the dental periodicity schedule and oral exam. Washington, DC: National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Wellness, 7 pp.

Annotation: This guide is designed to help Head Start staff understand what a dental periodicity schedule is. It provides background on the Head Start program performance standard that addresses an oral exam, describes elements of an oral exam, and offers information on the timing of oral exams and who can conduct them. It is available in English and Spanish.

Keywords: Head Start, Health screening, Infant health, Low income groups, Oral health, Prevention, Spanish language materials, Young children

New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. 2025. Looking at NJ Medicaid oral health quality performance for children through a secret shopper market survey of the MCO network directories for children ages 0 to 6. Princeton, NJ: New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, 23 pp.

Annotation: This report provides information about the quality of oral health care for infants and children from birth through age 6 enrolled in Medicaid in New Jersey. The report includes information on the importance of oral health. Data on the oral health status of infants and children living in the state, including those enrolled in Head Start, and about receipt of oral health care among these infants and children is presented. The report also describes a "secret shopper" survey used to assess quality and provides the quality measures used, methods, and results.

Keywords: School age children, Disease prevention, Access to heath care, Infant health, Low income groups, Medicaid, New Jersey, Oral health, Quality assurance, State information, Surveys:, Young children

Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy. 2025. Expanding access to oral health care. Albany, NY: Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, 2 pp.

Annotation: This brief provides information on expanding access to oral health care in New York. It discusses challenges to accessing oral health care among young children, uninsured children, children living in poverty, non-Hispanic black children, children from non-English-speaking households, and children with special health care needs. It addresses structural inequities that create barriers to achieving good oral health and pregnant women’s difficulties with accessing oral health care, in spite of the fact that they are at high risk for oral health problems. Policy recommendations are included.

Keywords: Access to care, Children with special health care needs, High risk groups, New York, Oral health, Poverty, Pregnant women, Racial factors, State information, Uninsured persons, Young children

Bhaumik J, Weninger RS. 2025. State-level costs of removing fluoride from community water systems. Chicago, IL: American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute, 10 pp. (Research brief)

Annotation: This brief provides background on community water fluoridation (CWF) and estimates the fiscal impact of removing fluoride from community water systems across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It discusses the experiences of three communities that removed fluoride from their water systems, and the decisions of two of them to re-implement CWF owing to the increased rate of tooth decay and related costs, especially among young children. Data and methods are discussed.

Keywords: Costs, Dental caries, Fluoride, Oral health, Prevention, Public policy, Young children

Holt K, Linden J. 2025. Guidance for safe use, handling, cleaning, and storage of toothbrushes in child care settings and elementary schools. Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, 4 pp.

Annotation: This handout provides information related to toothbrushing in educational settings. It discusses safe use and handling of toothbrushes, for example, disinfecting the classroom table, washing hands, and wearing gloves. It also discusses safe cleaning and storage of toothbrushes, for example, not covering toothbrushes and how to store toothbrushes in a toothbrush holder.

Keywords: Child care centers, Educational programs, Elementary schools, Infection control, Oral health, Oral hygiene, Safety, Young children

Diop H, Hwang S, Leader D, Silk H, Chie L, Lu E, Geng X, Stone SL, Flaherty K, Njah J. 2024. Massachusetts oral health practice guidelines for pregnancy and early childhood, version 3. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 53 pp.

Annotation: This report builds on state and national efforts to promote information, share best practices, and educate health professionals, including prenatal care health professionals, pediatric professionals, and oral health professionals for the benefit of patients, including pregnant women, children, and families receiving oral health care. The report introduces the issues, discusses trends, discusses national efforts and Massachusetts' efforts to address oral health among pregnant women and children, and provides information about the role of health professionals in improving oral health among pregnant women and children. Guidelines for prenatal care health professionals, pediatric professionals, and oral health professionals are included.

Keywords: Assessment, Collaboration, Health education, Massachusetts, Oral health, Oral health care, Pediatric care, Pregnancy, Pregnant women, Prenatal care, Preventive health services, Referrals, Role, State programs, Young children

DC Health. 2024. Oral health assessment form. Washington, DC: District of Columbia Department of Health, 1 p.

Annotation: This form, to be completed by parents and oral health professionals, provides space to write information about children over age 3 to give the student's child care facility or school. Part I, for parents to fill out, is for the child’s name, age, birthdate, grade, and child care facility or school name. Part II, for an oral health professional to fill out, is for the child’s oral health status and insurance status. Space for the oral health professional’s name, signature, and stamp, as well as the date of the oral examination, is included. It is available in Amharic, Chinese, English, French, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Keywords: Adolescent health, Asian language materials, Child health, Forms, Non English language materials, Oral health, School age children, Spanish language materials, Young children

National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety. 2024. How dental hygienists can improve oral health for Head Start participants. Washington, DC: National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety, 4 pp.

    Next Page »

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