Healthy teeth: all aboard! Prevention of dental caries through collaboration of well-child care and oral health care

    Research output: ThesisThesis fully internal (DIV)

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    Abstract

    The aim of the PhD research of Ashley Verlinden, on which this thesis is based, was to find ways to improve preventive dental care for all children by adding scientific evidence regarding the targeting, effectiveness, and implementation of preventive oral health care. The first theme in the thesis, targeting, focuses on caries prevalence and socioeconomic disparities among young children. The second theme, effectiveness, assesses the effects of two innovations in oral health care. The third theme, implementation, describes the implementation of interprofessional collaboration in early childhood oral health care.

    The results of this research show that, despite a system of full free pediatric dental coverage, socioeconomic status (SES) differences persist for oral health in children. Low-SES children still have a greater risk of a high caries experience than high-SES children. Further, the thesis shows two interventions to be effective in promoting oral health of children. These regard a short web-based film about oral health routines for young children distributed via well-child clinics (WCC), and referral of parents of babies to a dental practitioner by the WCC physicians. Finally, the thesis shows interprofessional collaboration between WCC and dental care to be feasible and promising. All in all, these findings provide promising options to improve the oral health of children.
    Original languageEnglish
    QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
    Awarding Institution
    • University of Groningen
    Supervisors/Advisors
    • Reijneveld, Menno, Supervisor
    • Schuller, Annemarie, Supervisor
    • Vermaire, Erik, Co-supervisor
    Award date17-Apr-2024
    Place of Publication[Groningen]
    Publisher
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2024

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