The silent epidemic of childhood dental and oral diseases is a serious burden that has and will continue to significantly reduce and restrict the quality of life. However, early childhood caries and other dental diseases do not affect all children equally; disparities exist acroos race and socioeconomic background. For example, rates of disease burdern are higher for children of color, particulary children who are of Latin or African Descent, with untreated dental caries highest among Mexican Americans (31.2%) followed by African Americans (24.4%) and Caucasian Americans (17.0%). In addition, much higher rates (30.8%) of untreated cavities exist among children ages 2-5 who are from low income families, compared with the same age range of children who are from high income families (6.3%) [Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality report, 2008] . A closer look reveals that approximately 30% of Mississippi's children lived in poverty in 2006. Not only is this rate of childhood poverty higher than any state in the country, but it is almost two times the national average---significantly increasing the risk of oral disease for Mississippi's children. The poverty rates of children residing in the Mississippi Delta counties are even higher with an average of 43.4% of the children in these counties in poverty (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). This economic factor alone, places these children, in particular, at a heightened risk of developing early childhood cavities and having poor oral health outcomes. However, with early intervention, education, awareness, and prevention, many of the unnecessary oral health maladies that our children face can be overcome AND avoided. Contrary to popular belief, oral health means much more than health teeth. Effects of poor oral health can extend beyond problems in the mouth, often generating other health related problems. 51 million school hours are lost every year due to dental related illness, and studies show that dental decay can result in failure to thrive, impaired speech development, absence from and the inability to concentrate in school, and reduced self-esteeem. Recognizing that poor oreal health in children is at epidemic proportions, ABCDEntistry was implemented in an attempt to remove the barriers between our economoically underserved children and the education and empowerment tools needed for them to attain optimal oral health. |