U.S. News & World Report: Take Care of Children's Teeth
Tooth decay disproportionately affects low-income kids with limited access to dental care.
We are not taking care of our children's teeth, and it is hurting them in school and later in life.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, tooth decay is among the most common chronic conditions of childhood. One in 5 children, aged five to 11, and 1 in 7 children, aged 12 to 19, have at least one untreated cavity.
These numbers are higher for children from minority and low-income families. African-American and Hispanic children are more likely than white children to have cavities in their primary (baby) teeth and are twice as likely as white children to have untreated cavities. The disparity in untreated cavities continues into the teen years.
Faculty Referenced by this Article
EMPH Academic Program Director with expertise in healthcare marketing, finance, and reproductive health policy, teaching in the EMPH, MPH, MHA program
Dr. Ron Andersen is the Wasserman Professor Emeritus in the UCLA Departments of Health Policy and Management.
Dr. Michelle S. Keller is a health services researcher whose research focuses on the use and prescribing of high-risk medications.
Professor of Community Health Sciences & Health Policy and Management, and Associate Dean for Research
Nationally recognized health services researcher and sociomedical scientist with 25+ years' experience in effectiveness and implementation research.
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