Teaching Dental Hygiene and Oral Healthcare Habits to the Underprivileged Pediatric Population
Shelly Huynh and Hannah Ponder
Assessment Diagnosis
RICH House Robles Park Diagnoses:
3305 N Avon Ave - Deficient community health
Tampa, Fl 33603 - Risk of impaired dentition due to ineffective health management and knowledge deficit
Population: Boys and girls ages 7-17; however, there are several students above 17 Socioeconomic leveling within a community can have a huge impact on the health of the
years old who have developmental delays. 98% of this population is black. population. Lack of access to healthcare, insurance, and additional resources leaves them
at risk for exposure to various diseases and illnesses. When there is a lack of healthcare
Health Needs: In a low socioeconomic community like Robles Park, the quality of living,
access, there is also low health literacy. It is important to educate the population on their
access to healthy and affordable foods, access to affordable healthcare, and low health
health risks and provide them with the right resources. Proper oral hygiene is vital, as not
literacy are all health threats to the community. The individuals and families living in this
area have increased risks of comorbidities due to the decreased access to healthcare
taking it seriously can lead to cavities, tooth decay, and overall poor oral health. This has
needs. Feeding Tampa Bay is active with the community; however, the food that is been linked very prevalently to diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, and stroke.
donated is not the healthiest food options.
Healthy People 2030 NWS‑10: Reduce consumption of added sugars by people aged 2
years and over.
Healthy People 2030 OH-09: Increase the proportion of low-income youth who have a Planning
preventive dental visit. Information was researched on oral hygiene and a plan was developed to educate
students from ages 7-17 on how to properly care for their oral health. These
Sealing Sunny Smiles Across Florida: The Sealing Sunny Smiles Across Florida is a students come from a low socioeconomic community where health literacy is not
statewide initiative created by the Department of Health in an effort to implement adequate. This information was considered when formulating a plan to educate the
evidence based interventions to achieve optimal oral health. County health departments students. Visual aids that are easy to read and understand were provided to the
have School-Based Sealant Programs (S-BSPs) that offer dental services to schools, students to read and view.
Children Centers, and more. The programs offer services such as screenings, cleanings,
oral health instructions, dental sealants, dental referrals, and more.
Implementation
Goal of the project: To educate students about the risks of added sugars on oral
Evaluation
health, how to properly floss and brush teeth, and how frequently to brush teeth The project plan was able to be implemented in the facility and student engagement
was active.
Goal: The students will reduce the amount of high sugar foods that are consumed
and will begin flossing daily and brush their teeth at least twice a day. After the presentation, the nursing students evaluated the students’ understanding
of the material by asking them questions and having them demonstrate how to
Oral care Explanation: The students were educated on how foods with a high properly perform oral care.
sugar content can cause a build up of bacteria in the mouth and on the teeth
leading to cavities and tooth decay. Education material included how to floss in The students and staff of the facility appreciated the presentation and felt that it was
between teeth, how much toothpaste should be used, brush teeth in a circular effective in teaching oral hygiene.
motion, and brush teeth for at least 2 minutes. Students should make sure to brush
their tongue and can listen to their favorite song while brushing their teeth to ensure Future goals of the facility are to ensure students understand how to better manage
they meet the length of time for brushing their teeth. their health through the interventions that were taught to them.
Visual aids are given to the students to provide easy-to-read information on how to
properly floss and brush teeth. The students also received a donation of floss,
toothpaste, and toothbrushes to use at home. Any questions can be directed to the
nursing students.
Dental health. Dental Health | Florida Department of Health. (2023, February 22). [Link]
References Oral conditions. Oral Conditions - Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). [Link]
School-based sealant programs. School-Based Sealant Programs | Florida Department of Health. (2022, August 15). [Link]
