By Bridget Walsh, Senior Policy Analyst for Health and Public Health
This October, Schuyler Center partnered with the NYS Oral Health Coalition and the NYS Early Childhood Advisory Council on a conference that highlighted progress that has been made since the 2022 Early Childhood Oral Summit. Over 120 people attended the two-day event that saw a variety of speakers, breakout sessions and roundtables discussions. The conference highlighted programs and policies that can continue to reduce oral disease in young children.
For the last century, and particularly in the last few decades, the oral health of very young New Yorkers has improved substantially. The decline in dental disease is a testament to the efforts of health professionals and individuals, public health investments, government policies, educational institutions and health care organizations. However, the improvements are not uniform and certain populations continue to experience a high degree of oral health problems.
Dental disease in children has been called a “hidden epidemic.” Hidden because dental disease is not always apparent until the pain becomes unendurable or until it manifests in an inability to eat, sleep, or concentrate in school. It is also hidden by poverty. Most children will not experience severe dental disease. Instead, the effects are felt primarily by low-income children because it relates to many of the same social and economic factors that drive other health disparities. Nearly one in four children ages 2-5 has had a cavity, and the prevalence of decay for kids ages 2-8 is distinctly higher for children of color. Lack of access to providers for preventive as well as treatment services is a primary reason for these disparities.
The NYS Early Childhood Advisory Council has endorsed a set of recommendations from the 2022 Summit and is advancing some of those with the Governor’s office. The Schuyler Center has worked to introduce legislation to increase access to fluoride varnish, an important preventive measure. Planning is also underway to develop convenient ways that early childhood programs can access quality information on oral health resources and trainings. The full Summit report is on the Schuyler Center website. Expanding the oral health workforce remains an important priority for those attending both last year’s and this year’s events.
The good news is that tooth decay is largely preventable, but there must be investments in access to care, integration of dental care into primary care, public health programs such as community water fluoridation, and providing education to families and communities about the importance of good oral health. By implementing the recommendations from the 2022 Childhood Oral Health Summit, New York State will be on the path to healthy smiles for all children.
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