Governor John Hickenlooper recently made children’s oral health one of Colorado's 10 winnable battles over the next five years. This is an important goal because oral disease can negatively impact a child’s performance in school, speech development, nutrition, self-esteem and sleep.
To help inform this winnable battle, three foundations – The Colorado Trust, Caring for Colorado Foundation and the Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation – jointly issued a new brief, Improving the Oral Health of Colorado's Children. Written by Diane Brunson, RDH, MPH, Director of Public Health, University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, the brief details:
- the causes of oral disease,
- multiple prevention strategies,
- significant challenges in access to oral health care, and
- strategies for improving the oral health of Colorado children.
In addition to the brief, a two-page Executive Summary provides a high-level overview for policymakers.
