ABCD
"E" Program
Description of the Project
Vision
Goal
Description
of the Project:
The mission of ABCDE is to expand the capacity to serve children at high-risk
for dental disease, from when the first tooth erupts up to the age of
19. It creates early, coordinated interventions for eligible children
in Spokane County and builds upon the success of the Spokane ABCD Program.
The ABCDE Program, is a pilot project through partnerships established
with the Spokane Regional Health District, the Spokane District Dental
Society, the Washington Dental Service Foundation, the Spokane Medical
Society, the Department of Social and Health Service's Medical Assistance
Administration, the Washington State Dental Association and the University
of Washington.
TOP
Vision:
While there are significant efforts to improve children's oral health
throughout the State of Washington, dental decay is still a significant
health problem. By third grade, more than half of children are affected.
For one- and two-year-olds, rates of decay are substantially higher in
this state than for the United States as a whole. Washington's one-year-olds
are five times as likely than children nationwide to have dental decay.
Many young children do not have a dental screening until age three or
later. For too many, this is too late and it may impact their development
and later achievement in school.
The purpose of the ABCDE program is to provide an oral health preventive
services package to children in settings where the children are located.
Primary care providers see children regularly through well child check
ups; they (as well as dental professionals) are in ideal positions to
include oral health assessments and services as part of overall health
exams. Non-clinical settings such as WIC and Head Start also interface
with children and their caregivers in the first years of life and can
incorporate or expand oral health services as part of routine assessments.
In order to provide oral health preventive services to children early
in life, this program will work with providers to adopt dental prevention
awareness.
TOP
Goal:
The primary goal of the ABCDE Program is to reduce untreated dental caries
and oral health disease through increased access to preventive oral health
care for eligible children, including referral to the Access to Baby and
Child Dentistry Program and a referral for additional treatment as needed.
The goals for ABCDE are similar to the Spokane ABCD Program:
1. The ABCDE Program is a Spokane County pilot project to provide critical
information leading to statewide implementation.
2. The ABCDE Program creates a high level of community satisfaction to
include the children, parents/guardians, advocates, medical and dental
providers.
3. The ABCDE Program positively impacts the oral health status of the
participating children and examines the effects of improved access and
enhanced preventive oral health care on the parent/guardian's belief and
expectations about children's oral health, including general health, satisfaction
and fear.
4. The ABCDE Program prioritizes child welfare over dental procedures
and protocols.
5. The ABCDE Program determines the effect of an enhanced access/prevention
program on low income children's utilization of oral health services using
four variables (structure, history, cognition, and expectations).
6. The ABCDE Program model is a partnership between public and private
sectors.
7. The ABCDE Program provides the opportunity for children to be seen
at an earlier age with primary care providers with early adopting practices,
including dental referrals.
