Identifying a need: The state of oral health care among the children of New York

 When identifying a need for a health promotion campaign, it is necessary to outline the current state of the issue, and the opportunity that exists to improve the issue. For example, it has been identified that there is a need for an oral health program for the children in New York. According to U.S. News (2011), 33 million Americans live in areas that are underserved by dental health professionals, and 4.6 million children went without dental checkups in 2008 because their families could not afford them. This is particularly a problem in the state of New York where many communities are underserved by oral health providers and services.

 

 

 Identifying a need for a new health promotion program involved identifying current barriers that affect the issue. Barriers to dental services in New York disproportionately affect children. The most commonly affected children live in rural and underserved areas, making access to care a primary concern for improving oral health in the children in New York. Dental diseases are more prevalent in populations whose access to oral health services is compromised by the inability to pay for services, lack of adequate insurance coverage, lack of availability of providers and services, transportation barriers, language barriers and complexity of oral and medical conditions (SCAA, 2005).

 Improved oral health among children is important in every community because, according to the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy (2005), starting children off with good dental habits will help them retain these habits into adulthood. The Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy goes on to state that a lack of access to care and knowledge about oral health are some of the biggest causal factors of poor oral health among children in New York. These statistics show that affecting the information barrier about oral health among the children of New York is a significant need.

 One recommendation of how to improve the education and information goal mentioned above is to establish more innovative service sites for dissemination of information, such as mobile vans, expanded hours, school-linked services, and case management programs (SCAA, 2005). Also, it is necessary to target rural and low income areas by providing low-cost or free services and incentives for seeking out oral health care services and information. In addition, continual training of new and existing dental personnel is a vital step in addressing the needs state above, as well as community outreach and the proper use of media sources.

 

Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy. (2005). Children’s oral health care. Children’s Policy Agenda. Albany, NY: Schuyler Center Publishing.

U. S. News. (2011, July). Millions of Americans lack access to dental care: Report. Retrieved from: http://www.usnews.com/mobile/articles_mobile/millions-of-americans-lack-access-to-dental-care-report