“While the primary role of a dentist is to diagnose and treat dental conditions, the impact on overall health is profound and interconnected,” writes Krystie P. Rapisura, DMD, MS, FAAPD, in the introduction to Pediatrics with Collaborative Care, the new collection of the Journal of the California Dental Association. “Particularly with pediatric patients and their families, the opportunity to work interprofessionally allows dentists to extend care beyond the oral cavity.”
In this collection of evidence-based research, dentists will learn how they can incorporate myofunctional therapy, child life specialists and community collaboration into their practice to provide this interprofessional care to patients. An opportunity to earn C.E. directly through the Journal is also included.
Read on for summaries of a case study and three review articles plus the details of several journalism awards the Journal recently earned.
Myofunctional therapy in pediatric dentistry
In recent years, the intersection of myofunctional therapy and pediatric dentistry has garnered significant attention for its role in addressing oral and facial muscle dysfunctions in children.
In “The Role of Myofunctional Therapy in Pediatric Dentistry,” authors Cherish K. Leung, DMD, MHA, MPH, and Megan Van Noy, RDH, discuss examples of how an interdisciplinary approach focused on orofacial muscle function addresses sleep-disordered breathing, promotes craniofacial growth and aids in the cessation of detrimental habits such as open-mouth breathing and non-nutritive sucking.
“By targeting these areas, myofunctional therapy aims to improve their strength, coordination, and function, which in turn will contribute to proper chewing, swallowing, and speech development,” the authors write.
Interprofessional collaboration in school-based dental programs
“The establishment of school-based dental health clinics emerges as a pivotal strategy in overcoming barriers to oral health care for high-risk, low-income pediatric populations,” write authors Michelle Goldstein, DMD, Samantha Bain, MPH, and Rose J. Amable, DDS, in “Forging Partnerships: Interprofessional Collaboration in School-Based Dental Programs for Migrant Children with ECC.”
The case report examines the dental treatment of a 5-year-old Hispanic migrant child who presented with severe childhood caries during an examination at a school-based dental program in a public school in New York.
The dental team, a school nurse practitioner and a social worker worked closely together to mitigate numerous barriers to dental care and achieve successful outcomes for the child. The authors describe the treatment plan, discuss how they address barriers to care and provide an overview of this school-based program.
The role and impact of child life specialists in dental settings
Child life specialists can be an integral part of a dental team by providing oral health education to families and using play therapy to familiarize patients with dental procedures and reduce dental anxiety — which research shows can lead to delays in care.
In “Child Life Specialists in a Dental Setting,” authors Sheena S. Nandi, DDS, MPH, Jasmeet Aujla, DDS, Ramin Kashani, DDS, and Susan Linker, MSEd, CCLS, explain how and where child life specialists work, discuss a well-established child life dental program in a New York public hospital and describe the positive impacts of child life specialists on children with special health care needs and behavioral issues.
Dentists will find recommendations for implementing a child life specialist in the dental practice.
Plus: Read the article and successfully complete a short quiz to earn .5 units C.E. credit.
Dentistry and optometry – collaborating to address global health challenges
Also on the theme of pediatrics and collaborative care is “Dentistry and Optometry: Collaborative Ventures in Health Mission Teams to Address Global Health Challenges” by Anna Chandsawangbhuwana, DDS, and Steven H. Wang, MPH, MPP, OD.
They discuss best practices in short-term medical missions and interprofessional education and describe a case study on effective collaboration to provide vision and dental care for children with albinism in Africa. “STMMs play a small, but potentially vital role in addressing inequitable access to limited healthcare resources throughout the world,” the authors conclude.
Other Journal articles include Impressions — curated scientific news of interest to dental professionals and the oral health community — and the editorial “Unboxing Personality Typology in Dentistry.”
Journal earns awards for outstanding article, overall improvement
The CDA Journal has received numerous over its publishing history. Most recently, the Journal earned the following three awards in the USA section of the International College of Dentistry’s annual Dental Journalism Awards, which is now in its 48th year:
- Silver Scroll Division 1 Award for its improvement in overall quality in 2023 after transitioning from print to digital format.
- Golden Pen Division 1 Award for the outstanding article “Practice Management: Fostering Engagement and Retention in the New Labor Market” (2023, Vol. 51, No. 1).
- Special Citation Award for unusual concept or presentation of the Forensic Odontology collection (2023, Vol. 51, No. 1).
The American Association of Dental Editors and Journalists will present the awards at its 2024 annual meeting. Readers can find the award-winning collection and article online.