This presentation provides information about key national indicators of child health and well-being. Data sources are identified that provide comprehensive information on economic status, demographics, safety and health of America’s children. Information relating to access and utilization of dental services is presented.

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Untreated caries rates are declining for children, especially low-income populations. This infographic from the ADA Health Policy Institute reports the prevalence of untreated caries by age group, including children ages 5 to 18.

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Commissioned by the National Interprofessional Initiative on Oral Health, this white paper presents an organizing framework for delivering preventive oral health care in the primary care setting and improving the structure of referrals from primary care to dentistry.

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The AAPD provided commentary on the report, Dental Caries and Sealant Prevalence in Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2011-2012, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC and the National Center for Health Statistics. Dr. Paul S. Casamassimo stated, "Of particular interest is the 5 percent decrease in which 23 percent of children ages 2 to 5 years had caries in primary teeth. This suggests that more very young children are receiving care, most likely due to the increased number of pediatric dentists, as well as improvements in Medicaid dental programs in some states."

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The Healthy People 2020 initiative serves as a roadmap for tracking the nation’s health, including oral health ranging from dental caries and periodontal disease to access to preventive dental services and program infrastructure. The report found that influential socio-demographic indicators for oral health disparities are poverty status, race and ethnicity. For example, approximately one in four children aged three to five and six to nine living in poverty had untreated dental caries.

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The prevalence of dental caries has been declining in the United States, mostly due to better prevention, improvements in treatment techniques, and patient attitudes regarding tooth preservation. However, the magnitude of the decline has varied across different population groups during the past two decades. This report describes the prevalence of untreated dental caries, existing dental restorations, dental sealants, and tooth loss in the United States by poverty level, age, race and ethnicity in 2005–2008.

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