Population Health Management Tools to Support School-Based Oral Health Partnerships and Address Disparities.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries (cavities) experience is prevalent in US children, and national data show rates to be increasing among young children. Disparities are found for those in the low-income and non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latinx groups. Use of caries prevention, specifically dental sealants, is low, even among school-based programs. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEORY: A population health management (PHM) framework may support targeted school-based case management to reduce oral health disparities. PHM-oriented tools were applied to a school-based oral health intervention and developed into a conceptual model. From 2014 to 2019, Chicago-based Oral Health Forum (OHF) developed a case management intervention in schools, utilizing PHM tools. Through programmatic and school-based partnerships, the PHM tools informed intervention to incorporate community-based organizations, case management staffing, oral health education, targeted community outreach, and Community Dental Health Coordinators' training. CONCLUSIONS: Through a PHM framework, school-based oral health partnerships targeting high-need children was implemented. Use of PHM tools in school-based health programs should be considered in other high caries schools.

Community water fluoridation and the integrity of equitable public health infrastructure.

Community water fluoridation is a population health program that is in a unique position to equitably prevent dental caries across all socioeconomic groups. A review of the 76-year long history of community water fluoridation shows that the challenges to expanding this program persist despite continued evidence of its efficacy. We offer dental health practitioners an opportunity to share the evidence of this oral disease prevention program with the communities they serve. While dental caries is still the most prevalent chronic disease that disproportionately effects lower socioeconomic status communities, community water fluoridation continues to decrease cavities by 25% at the population level. COVID-19 has reaffirmed the importance of disease prevention and valuing public health infrastructure. There is a continued need for community water fluoridation to offer equitable access to oral disease prevention interventions.