The power of process drama as a dynamic tool for exploration and learning is well documented. Far less is known about its potency as a qualitative research methodology. This article aims to address that deficit, drawing on lessons learnt from a collaborative project investigating the causes of dental anxiety in children. It argues that process…

Health services play one of the important roles in achieving equity in health. In the absence of equity awareness, health services searching for practice excellence will themselves inadvertently be causing health inequity rather than closing the gap. The elderly are increasingly occupying considerable capacities of health services to all. This…

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.…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder and systemic disease with multiple comorbidities and largely fragmented clinical care. In this article, we discuss three important components frequently missing from the current ASD standard care routine: oral health, nutrition, and house-call programs. Both ASD centers…

In the United States, there are significant disparities in the oral health of children from families with high and low socioeconomic status and between majority and minority children. Extant research on these health differences has focused predominately on caregiver knowledge, beliefs, and practices as well as structural barriers such as Medicaid…

Healthy students are better learners. Establishing positive school climates where students are healthy, engaged, and prepared to learn is a critical component in increasing student engagement and closing the achievement gap. As such, educators need to be aware of the impact of education-related outcomes on student outcomes and schools' ability to…

The Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) assists educators and health professionals in determining the prevalence of health-risk behaviors as self-reported by Montana youth. Initiated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1988, the YRBS aims to identify the leading causes of mortality, morbidity, and social problems among…

The purpose of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is to assist educators and health professionals in determining the prevalence of health-risk behaviors among youth. This report analyzes trends among Native American youth from the Montana YRBS years 2011-2017. Seven sections focus on: (1) Unintentional Injuries and Violence (safety,…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explain the rationale and potential for the WHO health promoting schools (HPS) to improve children's oral health, and describe validated quantitative methodologies and qualitative approaches to measure program impact. Design/Methodology/Approach: Critical discussion of the impact of poor oral health and…

This year's "America's Children in Brief" highlights selected indicators by metropolitan status to give the reader a closer look at how well-being is influenced by the type of community in which children and their families live. The "Brief" also provides a snapshot of the overall well-being of America's children through the…

The knowledge translation movement in health has led to the production of vast amounts of knowledge tools aimed at broadening clinicians' evidence base and improving the quality and efficacy of their practices. However important, these tools, largely oriented towards biomedical and technological aspects of care, are of limited potential for…

This article explores the research on the relationship between two particular aspects of poverty and school achievement. In particular, it examines research on food insecurity and oral healthcare among elementary-school-age children. The argument here is that these sorts of experiences of children in poverty account for some of the achievement…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the alpha-amylase (sAA) and cortisol levels in children with Global developmental delay (GDD) before and after dental treatment and its association with the children's behavior during treatment. The morning salivary cortisol levels and activity of sAA of 33 children with GDD were evaluated before and after…

The challenges of resolving the oral health disparities among children and other vulnerable populations requires a well-organized community safety net, along with a sincere commitment to prioritize the elimination of this common, but preventable, dental disease. Adequate funding for basic health needs, while incorporating oral health care into a…

Background: Pediatric dentists are too few in number to care for all children. Therefore, the level of pediatric dental services provided by general dentists, especially in rural areas, is crucial to improving the dental health of children. Purpose: The objectives of the study were to establish a baseline in regard to the quantity of pediatric…