This course addresses the prevalence, etiology, and consequences of early childhood caries (ECC). Clinicians will learn to assess risk factors, recognize the various stages of ECC, and counsel patients on preventive techniques. Additionally, this module will discuss common oral developmental issues in children such as teething, eruption hematomas, and non-nutritive sucking.
Educational Objectives for the Child Oral Health Course are:
- Describe the consequences, etiology, and prevalence of dental caries through childhood
- Recognize the stages of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) on oral examination
- Assess a child's risk of developing caries, including ECC
- List caries management strategies
- Discuss prevention through risk assessment, oral hygiene, fluoride, diet, and establishment of a dental home
- Review common oral concerns in children and adolescents and offer appropriate guidance
- Discuss child, family, and community influences on oral health outcomes of children
If you are already logged in, scroll down to the Course Content and select a topic to begin this course. If you are not logged in, select the green Register for Courses link above. You can navigate through the course by pressing the "Next Page" and "Previous Page" buttons, or select each page on the left sidebar menu. The "Mark Complete" button will also automatically advance the page. If you are only completing a few pages at a time, you may utilize the "Mark Complete" feature at the bottom to track your progress in each course. It is not necessary to mark each page to complete the course or to be eligible to take the assessment. Â
This course takes approximately one hour to complete. Each clinical case takes about 10 minutes.
Acknowledgments
All authors involved in producing the content of this course have indicated they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Course Steering Committee Authors
- Michelle Dalal, M.D.
- Melinda Clark, M.D.
Dental Consultant
- Rocio Quinonez, D.M.D., M.S., M.P.H.
Smiles for Life Editor
- Melinda Clark, M.D.
The images in this course are not to be reproduced/downloaded for purposes other than personal use. Republication, retransmission, reproduction or other use of the Licensed Material is prohibited.
Last Modified:
September 2021
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