"We can take care of children by taking care of their teeth"
"We are in the midst of a tooth decay epidemic across the U.S. The federal government needs to get involved." - Dr. Jonathan Fielding
We are in the midst of a tooth decay epidemic across the U.S. The implications of that epidemic to children’s health throughout their lives are bad enough that the federal government needs to get involved to secure the future health of America’s children.
Tooth decay is the most common chronic condition our children face; five times more common than asthma, seven times more common than hay fever in five-to-17-year olds. Poor dental health disproportionately hits poor children, and leads to a lifetime of health problems that cost many billions to address.
Faculty Referenced by this Article
Professor of Community Health Sciences & Health Policy and Management, and Associate Dean for Research
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.
EMPH Academic Program Director with expertise in healthcare marketing, finance, and reproductive health policy, teaching in the EMPH, MPH, MHA program
Nationally recognized health services researcher and sociomedical scientist with 25+ years' experience in effectiveness and implementation research.
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