Introduction

Did you know?

"The Affordable Care Act promises to add three million more children to those needing primary health care and oral care services, and these children were previously under-represented and uninsured, so it's going to be even more important to have care providers that collaborate on their care." M. Marino

To promote comprehensive health of all children, strategies that bridge primary medical and dental care are essential. Although primary care medical provider groups all agree that a dental home be established early in life for children—particularly those at high risk of early childhood caries—fewer than half (45%) of children have a dental visit in a year by time they are 2-6 years old. Engaging primary medical care providers in oral health promotion and referral to dentistry holds promise to improve children’s quality of life and access to appropriate dental care.

With over four million US children born annually and nearly 10 times more pediatric medical providers than pediatric dental providers available to care for them, PNPs can contribute significantly to children’s oral health. Children who have dental insurance enjoy greater access to dental care. US children today have unprecedentedly high levels of dental insurance thanks to public coverage (Medicaid and CHIP) and private coverage (from their parents’ insurance and healthcare marketplaces). Almost all children except those who are themselves undocumented immigrants have access to dental coverage and their need for dental care far outstrips dental capacity. Pediatric medical providers are also well prepared to focus on social and behavioral oral health determinants of childhood oral health.

Objectives

  1. Enhance understanding of the roles and functions of pediatric nurse practitioners in pediatric healthcare, including pediatric oral health.
  2. Identify strategies for engaging with pediatric nurse practitioners within regional networks of health care professionals.
  3. Distinguish approaches for dentists to collaborate with pediatric nurse practitioners to improve the oral and systemic health outcomes of infants, children and adolescents.
  4. Integrate insights from real-life experiences of pediatric nurse practitioners and pediatric dentists working in collaboration.