"How to Talk Tooth When
You're Not a Tooth
Professional"

presentation (PDF format,
with notes) by Becky Lommen,
dental care professional
and instructor

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Learn about
Dental Outreach Clinics
in west central Minnesota.

Thank you sponsors!

The Early Childhood Dental Network
Oral Health is a Part of Overall Health

What is the ECDN?
The Early Childhood Dental Network (ECDN) is a nine-county, multi-disciplinary collaborative project, and an outgrowth of the 10 Early Childhood Initiative communities in west central Minnesota. It is designed to increase awareness and education to all children and their caregivers about the importance of oral health, and to increase access to dental care, specifically to the 0-5 population on Minnesota Health Care Programs or the uninsured.

There’s strength in numbers
The ECDN’s greatest strength lies in the partnerships it has developed. Through these collaborations, the ECDN:

• Bridges gaps in services;
• Works on the strengths of each partner agency;
• Builds the capacity of current providers;
• Makes a difference in the oral health of our communities. The ECDN believes that having access to appropriate dental care should be a basic human right.

ECDN’s goals
There are two primary goals of the Early Childhood Dental Network:

• To increase access to timely, appropriate and affordable dental care with a focus on children aged 0-5;
• To increase oral health awareness and education to children, parents and families to help them understand the importance of good oral health to one’s overall health and wellbeing.

What’s the issue?

• Childhood tooth decay is the most chronic, yet preventable, infectious disease in children.
• Dental problems are five times more prevalent than asthma and seven times more than hay fever.
• 50 percent of tooth decay in low income children goes untreated.

What’s the problem? They’re just “baby teeth.”

• Baby teeth lay a foundation for permanent teeth. If not taken care of, problems in baby teeth can lead to a lifetime of health problems.
• Acute pain and tooth loss can lead to dysfunctional speech patterns, space loss, crowding and diminished facial appearance.
• Living with untreated pain due to tooth decay can be associated with poor school performance and disruptive behavior, affecting both the child’s ability to learn and others.

How can we prevent this?

• Daily brushing and flossing
• Proper nutrition
• Regular check-ups
• Fluoride

The ECDN is making a difference to the children in west central Minnesota:

• Nine communities are hosting “How to Talk ‘Tooth’ When You’re Not a ‘Tooth’ Professional” trainings, giving parents, teachers and caregivers a better understanding of oral health care.
• Several counties in the region are providing, or will soon provide, fluoride varnish through Public Health.
• Mobile outreach clinics help to increase the number of the region’s children who receive dental care and who are served by Minnesota Health Care Programs.
• The Early Childhood Dental Network continues to look for new and innovative ways to help young children maintain good oral health.