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MaryEllen Rehse Helping Oral Health Program Bring Smiles to Kids and Their Parents
canada goose outlet london Ben Romo: I using my widest smile to welcome MaryEllen Rehse, MSW, an oral health program manager in the Health Linkages Program at the Santa Barbara County Education Office. We here to talk healthy teeth. canada goose outlet london
MaryEllen Rehse: Yours are looking good, Ben.
canada goose outlet uk MER: The Children Oral Health Collaborative, under the direction of Health Linkages, canada goose outlet works together with partners to prevent dental disease in children, identify and track current needs, and improve access to care. canada goose outlet uk
canada goose parka outlet We also work in the community to engage and sustain support for Children Oral Health. We provide support to medical and dental providers to implement fluoride varnish applications within their practices. canada goose parka outlet
The Health Linkages program coordinates fluoride varnish application two times a year for state preschools, children centers, school readiness and Head Start programs, and kindergarten students at canada goose outlet store targeted elementary schools.
canada goose outlet seattle For the last eight years, we have provided 4,000 children with two fluoride varnish applications per year, canada goose outlet jackets and 2,000 children at targeted low income schools with dental screenings each year. canada goose outlet seattle
canada goose parka outlet uk BR: That a lot of smiles. Why is oral health critical to overall health and child development? canada goose parka outlet uk
MER: Children need their teeth to learn to speak properly and to eat healthy foods for proper nutrition. Dental disease is an infectious disease. When a child has untreated tooth decay that develops into an abscess, they are not just facing a localized infection, it now a dangerous systemic infection that can lead to occasionally fatal complications, such as the infection going to the brain.
canada goose outlet website legit This is not common, but discomfort is. Pain dramatically affects a child health the whole body is in stress, which canada goose outlet shop negatively affects their mental and emotional health, as well as their ability to concentrate and learn. canada goose outlet website legit
We have a huge problem with canada goose outlet sale kids missing school days when they have dental pain. I get calls from schools that have kids in their offices with pain or abscesses looking for help, particularly in Santa Barbara.
Of course, dental disease isn just a children issue. In adults, the bacteria spreads through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, most commonly affecting the heart and respiratory systems. As an example, gum disease affects diabetes, and is now being associated with increased rates of dementia.
canada goose outlet store uk When we develop good oral health skills, we are promoting health outcomes for the life of the child. canada goose outlet store uk
canada goose victoria parka outlet BR: At First 5 Santa Barbara County, we believe that building systems is critical to long term change, and that where we invest. What changes have you seen since starting the Oral Health canada goose outlet online Collaborative? canada goose victoria parka outlet
MER: I canada goose factory outlet thrilled to be a part of so many people joining across public and private sectors to share ideas and resources and to find solutions. Locally, our collaborative has grown exponentially in the past eight years. Schools, public health, community organizations, clinics and private providers are all working together to put effective strategies in place.
Our network partners give huge contributions. As an example, First 5 funded Family Resource Centers provide case management and follow up to make sure identified children complete their treatment although we don see many emergencies in Santa Maria, we still have many in Santa Barbara and Lompoc.
canada goose parka uk BR: You want every child to have two fluoride varnish treatments a year. How has more widespread fluoride varnish changed your outcomes so far? canada goose parka uk
MER: We have seen dental disease cut in canada goose outlet new york city half among the state preschool population in Santa Maria dropping from 40 percent to 20 percent of children canada goose outlet nyc now found with untreated dental disease when we do our dental screenings. The same dentists have been doing the preschool dental screenings in Santa Maria for 20 years, so we have consistency of clinical observation.
canada goose outlet winnipeg Achieving this kind of outcome was a team effort. People from schools, community agencies, private dentists and community health centers, public health and WIC came canada goose outlet in usa together through the Dental Access Resource Team. They worked to get Santa Maria to fluoridate canada goose outlet toronto factory their water in 2005. Santa Maria is still the only city in our county to do so. canada goose outlet winnipeg
All Santa Maria primary care physicians and pediatricians are varnishing children three times a year, as soon as the first tooth emerges. Medical offices in Santa Maria are providing about 10,000 applications of fluoride varnish each year to young children.
I just got canada goose outlet uk sale back from Kinder Bridge in Santa Maria and I didn find a single emergency. Eight years ago when we screened this same preschool camp, we found so many emergencies it raised the county average to 15 percent.
canada goose jacket outlet uk BR: That amazing! Even with all that you doing, it seems like when it comes to prevention, there always more to do. canada goose jacket outlet uk
canada goose kensington parka uk MER: Absolutely. As an example, Head Start provides a high level of oral health screening and support as part of their program model, and that is phenomenal. However, those services are official canada goose outlet not funded in other preschools the screening, classroom brushing, parent and child education, case management to access complete dental care and treatment. canada goose kensington parka uk
canada goose outlet canada To the extent that we have funding, Health Linkages has provided these services to state preschools, but those programs do not have the funding for the wrap around services that Head Start provides. Ideally, we be doing this work in all preschools. canada goose outlet canada
BR: A lot of the work of the collaborative has been around expanding access to services. What challenges have you faced?
canada goose womens outlet MER: Getting young children treated if they need sedation and have Medi Cal is difficult, since there are no Canada Goose Outlet providers who do this on the www.gofind.ca South Coast or midcounty, only canada goose outlet parka in Santa Maria. Since one major surgery center closed recently, canada goose black friday sale that leaves only private providers with wait lists currently of four months and extra fees. canada goose womens outlet
canada goose outlet location That pretty demoralizing for a family when a child has pain today and cannot eat. canada goose outlet location
MER: So called baby teeth matter good oral health begins at birth. Very young children can develop very serious oral health problems. I had no idea that young children (5 and under) could have so many cavities, much less the abscesses and large holes I see far too often. These cases are very sad and do not need to happen they are absolutely preventable. As a parent, you can do a few key things and prevent tooth decay:.