Establish a Dental Home
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend establishment of a dental home by the first birthday. Dentists will provide:
- Evaluation and diagnosis of oral disease
- Evaluation of growth and development
- Enhanced preventive services including:
- Fluoride varnish
- Cleanings/exam
- Anticipatory guidance
- Sealants
- Interceptive orthodontia
- Dental trauma management
- Comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis of oral disease
Communities with Limited Dental Access
In many communities, those with no insurance or insured through Medicaid have limited or no access to dental care.
If limited dental access, the primary care clinician may need to:
- Stratify the risk of the child.
- Strive to assist children at moderate or high risk or with active disease in accessing the dental system in a timely manner.
- Apply fluoride varnish to the teeth of children at moderate or high risk of caries in the medical office.
- Follow low-risk children in the medical office:
- Ensure appropriate anticipatory guidance is given.
- Assess need for systemic fluoride supplementation and prescribe appropriately.
- Regularly assess oral health and provide dental referral when necessary and no later than age three years.
References
Krol DM, Whelan K; SECTION ON ORAL HEALTH. Maintaining and Improving the Oral Health of Young Children. Pediatrics. 2023;151(1):e2022060417.
Clark MB, Keels MA, Slayton RL; SECTION ON ORAL HEALTH. Fluoride Use in Caries Prevention in the Primary Care Setting. Pediatrics. 2020; 146(6):e2020034637.
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Policy on the dental home. The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry. Chicago, IL: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; 2025:42-4.