RECENT POLICY CHANGES

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy in 2003 recommending that all infants receive an oral health risk assessment from a health care provider by age six months, and those at high risk be referred by 12 months to a dentist. In 2008, the policy was modified so that all children would be referred unless a limited dental workforce exists. This statement was reiterated in the latest policy published in 2014. The recommendations to have all children establish a dental home by age 1 has been echoed by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry for nearly three decades. Such policies highlight the importance of appropriate training to provide a dental workforce prepared to address these challenges.

Links

• http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/G_InfantOralHealthCare.pdf
• American Academy of Pediatrics AAP Section on Oral Health. Krol D, Section on Oral Health. Policy Statement: Maintaining and improving the oral health of young children. Pediatrics 2014;134:1224-9. (ARTICLE ATTACHED)