Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Center for Health Equity Office of Primary Care and Rural Health Oral Health Program

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Missouri Department of Health and Senior
ServicesCenter for Health EquityOffice of
Primary Care and Rural HealthOral Health Program
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• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
• Division of Community and Public Health, Oral
  Health Program

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AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
EMPLOYER Services provided on a nondiscriminatory
basis.
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What Is The Preventive Services Program?

• The Missouri Oral Health Preventive Services
  Program (PSP) is a community-based, systems
  approach to population-based prevention of oral
  disease.

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PSP Methodology

• SURVEILLANCEAnnual screening by a licensed
  dentist or dental hygienist
• EDUCATION
• Curriculum materials available
• PREVENTION
• Fluoride varnish applied twice per year by
  volunteers
• REFERRAL
• Children needing early or immediate dental care

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People Involved in the Event
EVENT COORDINATOR
Person coordinating the screenings, varnish,
education and referrals for the school or agency.
Typically a School Nurse, Head Start Health
Coordinator, County Nurse or Parent
SCREENER
VARNISH VOLUNTEER
OTHER ASSISTANT
Dentist
Parent, Nurse,
Parent, Nurse, Teacher or any other Person
interested in helping with the details of the
Event
or
Teacher or any other
Dental Hygienist
Person Interested in Applying Varnish

• You will be one of many involved in a PSP Event.
• That is the purpose of PSP. Many hands working
  together for the oral health of the community.

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Roles and Responsibilities

• Community
• Program Contact
• Local contacts and scheduling assistance
• Personnel recruitment
• Referral System Development

• DHSS
• An Oral Health Program Consultant
• Media Campaign
• Educational Materials
• Screening supplies, toothbrushes, toothpaste
  floss
• Fluoride Varnish Supplies
• Training
• Support for community agency

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Why Should You Consider PSP?
According to a recent survey of Missouris 3rd
grade children

• Dental caries is a significant problem
• Oral health varies across SES levels
• Oral health varies across racial groups
• A considerable share of children do not have
  access to oral health care
• Higher income children have less decay than lower
  income children statewide
• Missouris children have a low level of dental
  sealants

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Overall

• 55 of Missouris third grade children had a
  history of experiencing tooth decay
• 27 of Missouris third grade children had
  untreated decay
• Only 29 of Missouris third graders had dental
  sealants
• Out of the number of children screened
• 72 had no obvious or unresolved problem
• 23 needed early intervention (within a few
  weeks)
• 5 needed urgent dental care (care within 24
  hours)

Studies show that tooth decay is the most common
chronic childhood disease. It is five times
higher than the next leading disease which is
Asthma!
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Some Questions You May Have

• Why Use fluoride?
• Why Use fluoride varnish?
• What is a screening?
• How is a fluoride varnish applied?
• What supplies are provided by DHSS?
• What Supplies Does the Event Coordinator Need to
  Obtain?
• What about paperwork?

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Why Use Fluoride?

• Historically, the use of fluorides both
  systemically in fluoridated drinking water and
  topically (such as through toothpastes, mouth
  rinses professionally applied in dental
  offices) has demonstrated a dramatic reduction in
  tooth decay for well over 50 years in the United
  States.

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Why Use Fluoride Varnish?

• Fluoride Varnish has been proven effective in
  preventing tooth decay in both primary and
  permanent teeth.
• Fluoride varnish can reverse early decay and can
  arrest active decay lesions.
• Fluoride varnish promotes the remineralization of
  tooth enamel making it resistant to tooth decay.
• Fluoride varnish is readily adaptable requiring
  no special equipment and can be applied in a
  variety of settings (school classroom, library or
  gymnasium).
• Fluoride varnish sets on contact with moisture
  (saliva), reducing the risk of ingestion
  therefore recommended for all ages.
• Fluoride varnish is a cost effective preventive
  measure against tooth decay.

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Fluoride Varnish is Endorsed by the Following
Associations .

• American Dental Association
• Association of State and Territorial Dental
  Directors
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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What is a Screening?

• Not a thorough clinical exam, no x-rays are taken
• Does not involve making a clinical diagnosis that
  results in a treatment plan
• Does identify obvious oral lesions
• Is conducted by licensed dentists and dental
  hygienists

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How Is The Fluoride Varnish Applied?

• The varnish is paintedon all the surfaces of
  the teeth with a disposable applicator.
• The process takes approximately 1-4 minutes for
  each child.

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What Supplies are Provided by DHSS?

• These are ordered through a DHSS Oral Health
  Consultant
• Supplies from DHSS include
• Screening Forms
• Disposable Mouth Mirrors
• Fluoride Varnish
• Toothbrushes and Toothpaste
• Dental Floss
• Educational Materials
• Other Promotional Items

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What Supplies Does the Event Coordinator Need to
Obtain?

• Masks
• Gloves
• Light Source
• Eye Wear
• Tooth picks
• Gauze
• Hand Sanitizer

You will be asked to provide masks, gloves and
hand sanitizer for your community volunteers,
though you may ask your dental screeners to bring
their own masks and gloves. Be sure to advise
your screeners to bring a lighting source such as
a small flashlight.
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What Space is Needed for a PSP Event?
Provide an area with good lighting (an unused
classroom, gymnasium or corner of a library will
suffice)..

• When choosing an area, try to maintain some
  privacy for each child as some children will have
  dental decay and poor oral hygiene
• Straight back chairs will be adequate for both
  the screening and varnish placement.
• Provide a table or desk top for your volunteers
  to hold their supplies.

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What About Paperwork?

• DHSS provides all forms necessary for initiating
  and implementing the program.
• Screenings are to be done by dentists or dental
  hygienists only. Others may help with recording
  the findings.
• The coordinator of the event, will ascertain
  those children who have Parental/Guardian
  consent. Only those children who have positive
  consent forms will be screened varnished.
• Screening forms are to be completed by filling in
  each of the circles on the form in either pen or
  pencil.
• All completed paperwork is to be collected by the
  event coordinator. It is to be reviewed for
  completeness as well as for obtaining information
  for those requiring referral, then sent back to
  DHSS.

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PSP Activity

• Activity for the 2007-2008 school year 17,655
  children screened. This has provided baseline
  data that will be essential in determining
  outcomes
• Approximately 360 licensed dental professionals
  have been calibrated to conduct oral screenings,
  plus approximately 660 volunteers have been
  trained to apply the fluoride varnish.
• Currently,there are 248 schools, daycare centers
  Head Start agencies participating in PSP.

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The End Result..
Happy and Healthy
Smiles
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For more detailed information on The Preventive
Services Program and to find an Oral Health
Program Consultant nearest you, pleaseplease
visit our website athttp//health.mo.gov/blogs/
psp/and click on the tabFind a Consultant
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