Symposium on early childhood dental disease

Leaders in medicine and dentistry will meet in Seattle July 28-29 to discuss a new approach in the fight against childhood dental disease: enlisting family physicians and pediatricians.

Physician and Dentist: Together Managing Early Childhood Oral Health, a symposium co-sponsored by the University of Washington Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Seattle Children's hospital, will explore how physicians and dentists can work together to manage oral health, especially in high-risk youngsters. One goal is to identify children at risk by age 1 and treat or refer them. Some preventive treatments, such as fluoride varnish application, can even be done by pediatricians or family physicians.

"This approach simply makes so much sense," said Dr. Joel Berg, chairman of pediatric dentistry at the UW. "Children may have visited a pediatrician a dozen or more times for routine care by age 3, but may not yet have seen a dentist. There is a 'silent epidemic' of dental disease among pre-school children in this country, and we have to find better methods of intervention. Medical and dental partnerships are especially valuable in identifying and treating children at high risk for early childhood caries."

Nearly three of every 10 U.S. toddlers and preschoolers are believed to be affected by early childhood caries, the disease that causes cavities. It is highly preventable through early dental visits, healthy nutrition and home care. However, more than 51 million school hours are lost each year to dental issues. Dental disease can also carry significant health risks for children with diabetes and those born prematurely.

Berg, who is president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, will co-moderate the symposium at the Hotel Deca with Dr. F. Bruder Stapleton, associate dean of the UW School of Medicine and chief academic officer and senior vice president at Seattle Children's. Speakers include Dr. Marcia Brand, deputy director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other leaders and experts in medicine and dentistry, including the UW's Dr. Fred Rivara, who recently chaired the Institute of Medicine committee on oral health. Two of the institute's recent oral health reports will be discussed, along with the future of shared health records and management. Symposium sponsors are Henry Schein Inc., Premier Dental Products Co. and Washington Dental Service Foundation.

The campaign to enlist physicians to fight early childhood caries has already made strides in Washington state. Since 2002, the Washington Dental Service Foundation has trained 1,800 Washington primary-care medical providers to deliver oral health preventive services during well-child checks — including detecting early signs of dental disease and assessing risk, providing oral health tips for families, applying fluoride varnish, and making referrals when needed. The UW and Seattle Children's also have collaborated on The Center for Pediatric Dentistry, a facility that began operation at Seattle's Magnuson State Park last September. The new joint venture emphasizes early intervention, with dental visits starting by age 1. Dr. Berg is director.