County program asking toddlers to open wide
By Eric Stevick
Herald Writer
As a foot soldier in the battle against tooth decay, Lee Ann HoaglinCooper emphasizes early prevention.
Really early.
Her advice to parents: "First tooth, first birthday, first visit."
Many Snohomish County dentists will be getting more and earlier first visits through a new dental program offered to Medicaid-insured children known as ABCD, an acronym for Access to Baby and Child Dentistry.
HoaglinCooper, a dental hygienist with the Snohomish Health District, is hopeful that earlier visits to the dentist will help children later in life. Typically, she hears parents say they bring in a child for the first time at age 3 or 4, but for some "that can be too late."
Snohomish County is one of eight counties that will offer the ABCD service, with the Snohomish Health District connecting families to dentists. On Friday, 17 Snohomish County dentists received training sessions covering everything from infant behavior to "What do you do with an infant in your chair." Another session is set for Island County dentists Nov. 30 in Oak Harbor.
In 1995, 4,000 children statewide had to be hospitalized because of severe dental problems, at an average cost of $4,500, said Caree Moore with the state’s Medical Assistance Administration through the Department of Social and Health Services.
"The focus of the ABCD program is to get children into dental chairs, and our key would be getting them into the dental office when they have their first tooth," Moore said.
Over the years, Moore has heard her share of horror stories of dentures for 4-year-olds and children learning to live in pain that adults couldn’t tolerate.
"It just breaks your heart," she said.
"Preventative dentistry has been extremely successful in this country," said Peter Domoto, a University of Washington professor and chairman of the department of pediatric dentistry. "The problem is the kids who need it the most don’t always have access."
Domoto, who provided training to area dentists Friday, said the ABCD program relies on the commitment of several groups, including the Washington Dental Service Foundation, the health district, Medicaid, dentists willing to provide service, local dental societies and the UW.
Officials expect 50 dentists from Snohomish County will participate in the first year, serving at least 1,000 patients.
"We want more," said Nancy Waddell, program officer for the Washington Dental Service Foundation, which is contributing $36,000 to the program start-up this year and will provide money the following two years.
For more information about the ABCD program, call the Snohomish Health District at 425-339-5219.
You can call Herald Writer Eric Stevick at 425-339-3446
or send e-mail to stevick@heraldnet.com.
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