Role of pediatric nurse practitioners in oral health care
Dental caries remain the most prevalent unmet health need in US children. Access to care is particularly problematic for poor children and is compounded by the shortage of dentists to meet the needs of this patient population. Expanding the roles of pediatricians, family physicians, andpediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) who provide primary care services to children may be a strategy to address in this issue.
The oral-systemic connection in primary care
Improving access to healthcare and enhancing health promotion and disease prevention are major priorities for the well-being of the public and a central focus of current federal health initiatives. Furthermore, as recognized by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2000, evidence surrounding the critical importance of the oral-systemic connection is mounting.
Take action to influence children's oral health
For over 50 years the American Dental Association (ADA) has designated February as National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM).
Judith Haber
- Jul 28, 2014
Nursing strategies to reduce the incidence of early childhood caries in culturally diverse populations
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 26(3), 248-256.