Early Childhood Cavities Prevention Program

Tooth decay in infants is a serious and preventable infectious disease. Studies have shown that children from low-income families are more likely to have unmet dental needs and are less likely to receive dental care. In Oregon, approximately two-thirds of low-income children have cavities. The Early Childhood Cavities Prevention Program (ECCPP) is a community-based intervention program to promote preventive oral care for both mothers on Medicaid and their infants in Klamath County, Oregon. The ECCPP set three primary areas of focus: 1) educate and treat pregnant women to improve oral health during pregnancy; 2) establish a dental home for pregnant women before 32 weeks gestation and for the newborn infant and 3) provide oral health education and assistance to pregnant women, mothers or caregivers that result in infants receiving complete dental care by their first birthday. The goal of the program is to ensure that 100% of two-year olds in Medicaid families in Klamath County have no cavities.

The Early Childhood Cavities Prevention Program (ECCPP) is a community-based intervention program to promote preventive oral care for both mothers and their infants in Klamath County, Oregon.

The Early Childhood Cavities Prevention Program (ECCPP) educates pregnant women about dental hygiene to prevent dental infection in their children. Ninety-three percent of all participating infants were 100% cavity-free on their second birthday.

Between February 2004 and January 2006, 421 women were contacted to participate in the program. Overall, 55.8% of eligible women received care. Eighty percent of enrollees received oral health education and the oral health tool kits and 69% of participating women received dental care from a dental home during pregnancy. Ninety-three percent of all participating infants reaching their second birthday were 100% cavity-free, just seven percent shy of the program goal. Program officials note that oral health messages are now more consistent among WIC, dental and medical providers in the community. Going forward, the ECCP dental home model will be expanded into an additional 20 rural counties.