鲍鱼tv

Getting kids to focus on oral hygiene can be like pulling teeth, but one 鲍鱼tv graduate student wants communities 鈥� not just parents 鈭� to be more involved in addressing the problem.

So says Tina Treloar, a candidate at 鲍鱼tv鈥檚 (COPH), who recently spoke at the National Oral Health conference in Orlando. Her presentation, 鈥淚ncreased Access to Oral Health Care through Community Expansions of School-Based Dental Programs,鈥� stressed the need for broader access to care for children with dental problems.

In recognizing Treloar鈥檚 ongoing efforts and desire for continued study, the American Academy of Public Health awarded her a $7,500 scholarship to help pay for next year鈥檚 tuition.

鈥淭he scholarship helps to increase the number of qualified professionals who can offer quality oral health care, especially in rural areas, improving access to essential dental services for more people,鈥欌�� Treloar said.

She currently works in Gainesville at the University of Florida鈥檚 College of Dentistry in Community Outreach and completed her MPH there in 2017. To enhance her professional value, she decided to further her education at 鲍鱼tv by pursuing a doctorate of public health, which is offered through a hybrid format. She comes to Tampa several times a year to fulfill her on-campus requirements.

Treloar is aware of the demand for more dentists and hygienists in Florida, where the population far outweighs the public鈥檚 needs, especially those on limited income. When she first began working in private practice, she attended a 鈥渇ree day鈥欌�� of dentistry in which the organizers hoped to see 100 patients in a single day, most of whom were desperate for specialized care. Many were turned away due to limited time and resources. For Treloar, the experience was a wake-up call.

鈥淚 only saw patients who had quality insurance to cover the cost of care or those who could afford to pay out of pocket,鈥欌�� she said of her role in private practice. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure what to expect from the event, but I was given a glimpse of the substantial gap in access to care.鈥欌��

Oral health has been called 鈥淔lorida鈥檚 untreated public health crisis鈥欌�� by the American Children鈥檚 Campaign, a non-profit advocacy group based in Tallahassee. Florida faces a significant oral health crisis, they say, with high rates of untreated tooth decay, particularly among children and a shortage of dental care providers, especially in rural areas. A large portion of the population lives in designated 鈥渄ental health professional shortage areas,鈥欌�� and many rely on emergency rooms for preventable dental issues, resulting in high costs for taxpayers.

The statistic surrounding tooth decay among children of Florida is high and concerning (about 30 percent) as the national average is approximately 20 percent.

Tina Treloar

The problem is worse for children of families who either can鈥檛 afford regular dental care or simply have limited access to it: 鈥淥ur patients report barriers to care that include limited dental providers, long appointment waitlists, inadequate insurance coverage and geographical barriers,鈥欌�� Treloar said.

An example of a community expansion program is Saving Smiles, which offers free, on-site preventive and limited dental care through collaboration with community partners. The program began in 2020 and offered care to about 120 children.

鈥淚t鈥檚 grown significantly,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淲e now see nearly 800 children per year and have expanded the services offered and geographic locations served. By using portable equipment and skilled providers, preventive care is provided in a convenient and safe setting to children and families.鈥欌��

One of the specific forms of care are dental sealants: thin, protective coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth to prevent cavities. They act as a barrier, keeping food and bacteria from settling into the pits and grooves where tooth decay can start. Each year, the sealant program serves about 750 children and provides preventive dental services at no cost to patients, including dental exams, oral hygiene instructions, placement of the sealants and application of fluoride varnish.

The Saving Smiles program鈥檚 varnish application is especially important in Florida, which has now imposed a state-wide ban on fluoride in drinking water.

鈥淚t鈥檚 concerning to me as a public health dental professional,鈥欌�� Treloar said. 鈥淭he evidence on which the decision was based is scientifically weak, in my opinion.鈥欌��

Good oral health is about more than having shiny white teeth. Research has shown poor oral health is linked to diabetes, heart and lung disease, stroke, conditions of pregnant women, including the delivery of pre-term, and low birth weight infants, and in addition to other illnesses, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Here are a few facts to chew:

• About 30 percent of third-grade children suffer from untreated tooth decay
•  Florida ranks last among 50 states in the percentage of all children receiving a dental health exam in the last year
• Florida leads the country in the number of children who go to a hospital emergency room for preventable tooth pain
• Florida has a shortage of dentists (about 12,350) compared to its population of 23.3 million people
• This dearth has created a large number of 鈥渄ental health professional shortage areas,鈥欌�� which are parts of the state that lack sufficient dentists to meet the needs of the population
• Many children on Medicaid do not receive recommended preventive dental care