Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) Awards Grants to Positively Impact Oral Health of Young Children in Canada and the United States

Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF)

Awards Grants to 

Positively Impact Oral Health of Young

Children in Canada and the United States 

Early childhood caries is a significant

health problem for children worldwide, 

especially in North America 

  

TORONTO, December 5, 2016 – The Canada-United States Chapter of the Alliance

for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) has awarded three interprofessional grants

totaling $50,000.00 (USD) to fund projects that will be carried out in 2017 and

have a positive impact on dental caries, an early form of tooth decay which is

reversible, for children aged 0-6.  

The inaugural grant program aims tobring together groups

outside of dentistry, such as pediatrics and primary care, to help underserved

communities.  Made possible through funding from Colgate-Palmolive, the

grants focus on specific populations including communities with high caries

needs, populations living in remote areas with limited access to dental care,

disadvantaged communities such as those with low incomes and other populations

with specialized health care needs.  

“The programs funded through this grant are outstanding

examples of the interprofessional collaboration being implemented to address

oral health,” said Alyssa Hayes, BDent, MSc, FRCD(C), Assistant Professor,

Dental Public Health, University of Saskatchewan College of Dentistry and

Canada-US ACFF Chapter Co-Chair. “Only by working together can we improve the

oral health of young children.”

About the 2016 Winners 

·        

Promoting Oral Health in Primary Care:

Closing the Dental Referral Loop (Children’s

Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.) – This program aims to improve the process

of dental referrals for children at highest risk. By expanding the role of a

dedicated staff member who will help to shepherd identified children through

the referral process and coordinate care between patients and providers.

Ultimately, by February 2018, the organizers believe that 80% of children at

absolute high risk for caries according to the AAP Oral Health Risk Assessment

Tool will have a formal dental referral completed.

·        

An Ontario Primary Health Care System to

Support a Cavity-free Future (Faculty

of Dentistry, University of Toronto and Niagara Region, Public Health, Toronto)

– Through a participatory action research approach, this project aims to build

readiness across dentistry, medicine, public health and government to make

fluoride varnish (FV) routine primary care practice in Ontario. The project

will engage key policy and practice leaders to understand their perspectives on

the challenges of adopting FV in primary care. In collaboration with these

stakeholders, the project will also develop the strategy that will be necessary

to making FV application routing primary care practice in Ontario.

·        

Online Parenting Forums: Drawing Implications

for Caries Prevention from Parents’ 

Perspectives of Childhood Decay and

Dental Expertise (University of

Calgary) – A research project that seeks to better understand online parenting

forums in relation to early childhood caries (ECC). In-person sessions with

parents recruited from online forums will focus on how parents use forums,

their perceptions of trust and expertise online, and what supportive role

health professionals might play on parenting forums. Findings from these

sessions will then better inform the role of public health professionals in

enhancing ECC prevention efforts.

“Disparities in dental caries experience and access to care

exist all across North America,” said Margherita Fontana, DDS, PhD, Professor,

University of Michigan School of Dentistry and Canada-US ACFF Chapter Co-Chair.

“We believe these programs will have a significant short and long-term impact

in our understanding of how to reduce these disparities.”

For those interested in finding resources on cavity

prevention, more information can be found at www.AllianceforaCavityFreeFuture.org. Specific information

about the Canada-US Chapter can be obtained by contacting Co-Chair Alyssa Hayes

via email (alyssa.hayes@usask.ca) or phone

(306-966-1407).