Programs for Providers

First Tooth

To help reduce early childhood cavities and tooth decay, the Oregon Oral Health Coalition’s Early Childhood Cavities Prevention Committee launched a three-year workforce development project called First Tooth. First Tooth offers free training for dental and medical communities to assess and implement preventative oral health services for infants and toddlers ages 3 and under.

 Training includes:

  • In-office continuing education over lunch, in-service trainings or evenings (one to two hours)
  • Training for all providers and staff on how oral health preventive services can easily be integrated into current services
  • Hands-on practice of fluoride varnish application
  • Culturally appropriate handouts, exam/waiting room posters and anticipatory guidance that can be shared with parents and caregivers
  • Guidelines to help the medical provider refer children to a dental home by age 1
  • Continued support and technical assistance with project staff on systems-based implementation, workflow and clinical instruction
  • Access to web-based oral health resource and training site

Smiles For Life

Smiles for Life is the nation’s only comprehensive oral health curriculum developed by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Group on Oral Health.
 
The online and downloadable curriculum provides the following modules that detail the role of primary care providers in promoting oral health for all age groups:
 
  • The relationship of oral to systemic health
  • Child and adult oral health
  • Acute dental problems
  • Oral health and the pregnant patient
  • Caries risk assessment, fluoride, varnish and counseling
  • The oral examination
  • Geriatric oral health

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