Established Evidence Results

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT/CONSUMER, Oral Health Education, Oral Health Supplies, PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Designated Clinic/Extended Hours, Quality Improvement/Practice-Wide Intervention

Intervention Description: The state of New Hampshire created a pilot project to integrate preventive oral health care for low-income women and children through local sites of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

Intervention Results: Preliminary data suggest promising results. Among the approximately 3,900 children served by the three pilot locations, 573 children (14 percent) received an oral health screening; 175 (31 percent) of those children were under age one. Of those screened, 48 children (8 percent) had untreated decay, 490 (86 percent) received a fluoride varnish application, and 80 (14 percent) received a dental sealant. A total of 857 pregnant women are served in the WIC program across all three pilot locations. Out of those women, 123 (14 percent) received an oral health screening. Of those screened, 88 (72 percent) showed untreated decay, and 46 (37 percent) were referred to a dentist for urgent needs. Out of the women who received an oral health screening, 114 (93 percent) received a fluoride varnish application, and 92 (75 percent) received sealants.

Conclusion: This profile details New Hampshire’s experiences and offers considerations for state agencies, federal policymakers, and other interested stakeholders to explore alternative channels for reaching low-income populations with oral health care and education.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Quality Improvement/Practice-Wide Intervention

Intervention Description: Researchers designed a multi-pronged pilot intervention to address barriers to care for pregnant women and young children in dental safety net settings. Pilot intervention components were: (1) Business assessment to evaluate and enhance safety net dental practice financial stability; (2) Quality improvement (QI) training to test and implement improved office access and efficiency; and (3) Evidence-based education for dental providers on care for pregnant women and young children.

Intervention Results: All mean measures improved, including: higher monthly revenue ($28,380–$33,102, p = 0.37), decreased no-show rate (17.7–14.3%, p = 0.11), higher monthly dental health encounters (283–328, p = 0.08), and higher monthly encounters for young children (8.8–10.5, p = 0.65), and pregnant women (2.8–9.7, p = 0.29). Results varied by practice, with some demonstrating largest increases in encounters for young children and others pregnant women. Focus group participants reported that the collaborative improved access for pregnant women and young children, and that QI methods were often new and difficult.

Conclusion: A learning collaborative among dental practices increased dental encounters and access for young children and pregnant women. Participation by safety net dental practices in a QI collaborative is feasible and acceptable. Individual sites saw greater improvements in different outcomes areas, based on their own structures and needs. Future efforts should focus on specific needs of each dental practice and should offer additional QI training.

Setting: Safety net dental practices

Population of Focus: Pregnant people