NCJFCJ Partners with American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry for Children’s Dental Health Month in February 2008

Did you know that early childhood cavities are the most common childhood illness? Did you know that every child should have their first dental exam at age one?

Dr. Pitts Hinson, Past President of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), and AAPD’s incoming President Dr. Beverly Largent, spent the day with the Victims Act Model Court teams at NCJFCJ's October 2007 All-Sites Conference in New Orleans, teaching Children’s Dental Health 101 to enable the Victims Act Model Courts to promote good oral health for court-involved children. A plenary session on the importance of oral health, its effect on child development, and oral health issues commonly seen in child abuse and neglect cases was presented by Drs. Largent and Hinson, along with NCJFCJ Board of Trustees Member and former Model Court Lead Judge Cindy Lederman.

Through the multidisciplinary efforts of NCJFCJ’s Mental Health/Medical-Legal Issues Committee, AAPD joined the Committee coalition of national organizations, which is working to improve the physical and mental health of maltreated children. Embracing the oral health needs of children is one of the first initiatives of the Mental Health/Medical-Legal Issues Committee. This year NCJFCJ has teamed with the AAPD and Procter & Gamble to pilot an initiative to focus on the dental health of children in abuse and neglect cases.

During Children’s Dental Health Month (February 2008), the Victims Act Model Courts have volunteered to highlight the importance of dental health for abused and neglected children in their courtrooms. Through collaborative efforts with their child welfare agency, partner agencies, and local dental communities, Model Courts participating in Children’s Dental Month will be:

•   Inquiring about children’s dental health and handing out toothbrush kits to children in hearings;
•   Educating children and families about the importance of good oral health;
•   Providing brochures on dental health to caregivers;
•   Displaying posters with information on dental health; and
•   Outreaching to dentists in the local community to collaborate with the court and child welfare stakeholders.

Toothbrush kits are being provided through a generous donation by Procter & Gamble, and brochures and posters are being provided through collaboration with the AAPD.

For more information on this initiative, please contact Elizabeth Whitney Barnes, Manager, Model Courts Division, at ebarnes@ncjfcj.org or at (775) 784-7524.