Oral Health Practice Tools

Incorporate oral health into your practice with these easy-to-use tools and downloadable resources. Learn how to perform an oral health risk assessment, provide nutrition and oral hygiene counseling, and to apply fluoride varnish as vital components of well-child exams. If you aren’t sure on where to start with oral health, the Oral Health Prevention Primer can help!

How Should I Set Up My Practice to Include Oral Health?

Setting up your practice to include oral health is easy! Make sure to discuss oral health and finding a dental home in routine anticipatory guidance at well-child checks. Offer fluoride varnish at appropriate well-child checks. Consider adding oral health note templates in the electronic medical record (EMR).

What Do I Need To Apply Fluoride Varnish in My Office?

Applying fluoride varnish is simple. All you need is

• A 2x2 gauze pad to dry the teeth
• A 25 ml of varnish with brush
• After varnish instructions for patients and families
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) for providers

How and When Do I Provide an Oral Exam and Risk Assessment?

Providers should perform oral health risk assessment at all 6 and 9-, 12-month visits. If patients do not have an established dental home after 12 months, continue performing an oral health risk assessment at the 12-, 18-, 24-, 30-month, and the 3- and 6-year visits.

How Much Fluoride Do My Patients Need?

Children can get an adequate amount of fluoride and avoid symptomatic dental fluorosis by:

• Brushing with fluoridated toothpaste, but only a smear of toothpaste for children under 3 years-old and a pea sized amount for those >3 years-old.
• Drinking fluoridated tap water.
• Receiving fluoride varnish treatments at the doctor’s and dentist’s offices.

How Do I Help Children Find a Dental Home?

Pediatricians can assist families in finding a dental provider by creating a dental reference resource sheet to hand-out at your office. Make sure it includes information regarding

• Insurances accepted
• Youngest age of patients seen
• And contact information

How Can I Educate Families About Oral Health?

Educating families about cavity prevention is essential to overall health. Afterall, for children and adolescents, dental caries is the most common chronic disease. Discuss oral health routinely as part of well-child check anticipatory guidance and offer resources for patients regarding prevention and treatment of oral disease.

How Do I Get Paid for Oral Health Services?

To prepare to be paid for oral health services, pediatric practices can review the current procedural terminology (CPT) codes, Medicaid payment rates, and required provider training in your state. If payment for oral health services is low in your state, please join us in advocating for improved payment for fluoride varnish.