Oral Health Promotion
Explore information and strategies Head Start staff can use to improve parents’ understanding of oral health’s impact on learning and to promote positive oral health practices in the classroom.
Resources here discuss visits to the dentist, a crucial part of children’s oral health. This collection covers the importance of the first dental visit and ongoing dental visits. A major goal of these resources is to help families establish a dental visit routine to promote good oral health and prevent disease. Also see resources on access to oral health care.
Explore information and strategies Head Start staff can use to improve parents’ understanding of oral health’s impact on learning and to promote positive oral health practices in the classroom.
Review this tip sheet to learn why dental visits at age 1 are key to a child’s healthy development. Find ways to explain to parents what happens during the dental visit.
Learn why it is important to treat tooth decay in primary teeth and offers tips for Head Start staff to encourage parents to get follow-up care for their child.
Explore why some parents may fear dental visits and avoid seeking care. Find tips on ways parents can overcome their fears.
Going to the dental office or clinic is a new and unfamiliar experience for children. Learn tips for helping young children prepare for a dental visit.
Share this information with parents to help them ask the dentist if anesthesia or sedation should be used to treat their child’s tooth decay and what type should be used to make treatment safe and effective.
Discover information that Head Start staff can share with parents about how Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) works.
Use this form to help pregnant people share important information about their pregnancy and oral health with dental office staff. It can help dental office staff best meet pregnant women’s oral health needs.
Parents can use this form to share information about their child with dental office staff to help them meet the child’s needs. Find questions about things that might bother the child about visiting the dentist.
Program staff and families are encouraged to explore where and how the Performance Standards address oral health.