ECOH Vision StatementECOH Vision Statement

To be recognized as the international leader in infant and toddler oral health education and research, and in the development of service delivery models. To be the leader in stimulating policy change to dramatically mitigate the unmet need in the management of childhood dental caries worldwide.

ECOHECOHEarly Childhood Oral Health Early Childhood Oral Health

Surgeon General called childhood caries Surgeon General called childhood caries “the silent epidemic” and the greatest “the silent epidemic” and the greatest unmet need in childhoodunmet need in childhood

Dental caries is a preventable Dental caries is a preventable transmissible infectious diseasetransmissible infectious disease

Early intervention is key, as devastating Early intervention is key, as devastating effect can be seen as early as age 18 effect can be seen as early as age 18 monthsmonths

That’s why the following organizations all That’s why the following organizations all recommend an oral health assessment recommend an oral health assessment and intervention no later than age 1and intervention no later than age 1– American Dental AssociationAmerican Dental Association– American Academy of Pediatric DentistryAmerican Academy of Pediatric Dentistry– American Academy of PediatricsAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

ECOHECOHEarly Childhood Oral Health Early Childhood Oral Health

What have we done?What have we done?– Washington’s ABCD (access to baby and child Washington’s ABCD (access to baby and child

dentistry) has successfully begun training GP dentists dentistry) has successfully begun training GP dentists to see children at very young ages to prevent disease. to see children at very young ages to prevent disease. This program’s published results show improved oral This program’s published results show improved oral health where the ABCD program is in place.health where the ABCD program is in place.

– UW has been a leader in establishing core research, UW has been a leader in establishing core research, service delivery models and education programs to service delivery models and education programs to raise public awareness and to train professionals to raise public awareness and to train professionals to address this important childhood problemaddress this important childhood problem

ECOHECOHEarly Childhood Oral Health Early Childhood Oral Health

What will ECOH do?What will ECOH do?– ECOH will organize, plan and disseminate important ECOH will organize, plan and disseminate important

research to address the devastating childhood dental research to address the devastating childhood dental caries problemcaries problem

– UW’s ECOH program will become known as the UW’s ECOH program will become known as the center of excellence in managing issues related to center of excellence in managing issues related to prevention of childhood caries by creating a fundable prevention of childhood caries by creating a fundable research agenda, and by creating the best practices research agenda, and by creating the best practices that can establish educational programs across thee that can establish educational programs across thee country and around the world to manage the caries country and around the world to manage the caries epidemic.epidemic.

– No single institution possesses the breadth and depth No single institution possesses the breadth and depth of expertise in this arena as does UW of expertise in this arena as does UW

ECOHECOHEarly Childhood Oral Health Early Childhood Oral Health

Dozens of UW healthcare professionals from a Dozens of UW healthcare professionals from a variety of disciplines are devoting their exclusive variety of disciplines are devoting their exclusive efforts toward the mission of ECOH including:efforts toward the mission of ECOH including:– DentistsDentists– PediatriciansPediatricians– Family physiciansFamily physicians– NursesNurses– Social workersSocial workers– Public health expertsPublic health experts– Medical Education specialistsMedical Education specialists– BiostatisticiansBiostatisticians– PsychologistsPsychologists

ECOHECOHEarly Childhood Oral Health Early Childhood Oral Health

What will ECOH funding allow?What will ECOH funding allow?– Create important endowed chairs in Pediatric Create important endowed chairs in Pediatric

Dentistry, Oral Biology, Dental Public Health Dentistry, Oral Biology, Dental Public Health Sciences, and Pediatrics in order to attract and retain Sciences, and Pediatrics in order to attract and retain the most prominent expertsthe most prominent experts

– Create a physical center wherein service delivery Create a physical center wherein service delivery training models can be developed and disseminated training models can be developed and disseminated to others across the globeto others across the globe

– UW dental students will be the first in the nation to UW dental students will be the first in the nation to uniformly receive training in managing the oral health uniformly receive training in managing the oral health of infants and toddlers, together with pediatrics of infants and toddlers, together with pediatrics residentsresidents

– Create administrative support to manage major clinic Create administrative support to manage major clinic operation, as well as clinical research managementoperation, as well as clinical research management

ECOHECOHEarly Childhood Oral Health Early Childhood Oral Health