Oral health status in Navajo Nation Head Start children.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study assessed oral health status for preschool-aged children in the Navajo Nation to obtain data on baseline decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces (dmfs) and dental caries patterns, describe sociodemographic correlates of children's baseline dmfs measures, and compare the children's dmfs measures with previous dental survey data for the Navajo Nation from the Indian Health Service and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods

The analyzed study sample included 981 child/caregiver dyads residing in the Navajo Nation who completed baseline dmfs assessments for an ongoing randomized clinical trial involving Navajo Nation Head Start Centers. Calibrated dental hygienists collected baseline dmfs data from child participants ages 3

SUBMITTER: Batliner T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4267958 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature