DOH has gathered resources for health care professionals to address dental care access. These resources are intended for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and others in any clinical setting.

Oral Health Resources for Other Health Care Professionals

• Nutrition and Oral Health for Children
  The Pacific West MCH Distance Learning Network's curriculum designed for health care professionals who wish to learn more about nutrition and oral health for children, including children with special health care needs.
• Connecting Smiles: Improving Health through Oral Health Integration Training
  This oral health integration fluoride varnish training is an expansion of the Connecting Smiles Initiative, a collaborative project with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. This oral health integration training will equip health care providers and their staff with the information needed to begin to address the oral health needs of their patients.
• Smiles for Life: A National Oral Health Curriculum, 3rd Edition
  Smiles for Life is the nation's only comprehensive oral health curriculum developed by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Group on Oral Health. Now in its third edition, this curriculum is designed to enhance the role of primary care clinicians in the promotion of oral health for all age groups through the development and dissemination of high-quality educational resources.
• Open Wide: Oral Health Training for Health Professionals
  A series of four self-contained online modules designed to help health and early childhood professionals working in community settings (e.g. Head Start, home visiting, and WIC staff) promote oral health while also promoting general health for infants, children, and their families.

Early Childhood

• First Birthday Card (pdf)
  This campaign is designed to increase the awareness of new parents on the importance of beginning oral health care for their infant no later than their child's first birthday. The dual language card could be distributed to parents through medical and dental providers, Early Head Start programs, community outreach programs and WIC to encourage them to brush their child's teeth and take them to the dentist by age one.
  • Order Form for First Birthday Card and Oral Health Posters (pdf)
• SC Takes Action: Oral Health for the Young Child (pdf)
  This document is based on established guidelines produced by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics and other key professional organizations such as the American Dental Association, Bright Futures, and the Society of Family Medicine. The document, primarily focused on ages 0-3, provides the foundation for a collaborative, community approach to improve the oral health status of South Carolina's young children.

Pregnancy

• Oral Health Care for Pregnant Women (pdf)
  Publication produced by South Carolina Department of Public Health in collaboration with the South Carolina Oral Health Advisory Council and Coalition to address oral health issues specific to pregnant women in South Carolina. This publication is based on the clinical practice guidelines developed by New York State Department of Health.

Referral Forms

• Health Professional: Referral Form for Pregnant Women to Receive Dental Care (pdf)
• Dental Professional: Dentist's Report: For the Prenatal Care Health Professional (pdf)

Brochure

• Dental Care Before, During and After Pregnancy (pdf)
  A downloadable, patient-focused flyer that details the importance of good dental care before, during and after pregnancy.

Other Resources

• Oral Health Care During Pregnancy and Early Childhood: Practice Guidelines (pdf)
• Access to Oral Health Care During the Perinatal Period: A Policy Brief (pdf)
   

South Carolina Oral Health Coalition

The Division of Oral Health (DOH) staff work closely with the South Carolina Oral Health Coalition (SCOHC) and are considered part of the oral health infrastructure in South Carolina. The South Carolina Oral Health Coalition (SCOHC) was formed in November 2003 with the purpose of developing oral health promotion and disease activities at the state and community levels.