1512-11658

This investment supports the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) to further validate and develop a medically-oriented, caries-prediction tool based primarily on key predictive risk factors identified in a general patient medical history in order to facilitate consistent incorporation of caries-risk assessment methodologies into the normal course of well-child visits. Specifically, AAPD will validate and test common risk factors identified during Year One from well-child visits and dental visits at Nationwide Children's Hospital and Marshfield Clinic; design and implement a concurrent prospective study of a medically-oriented, caries-prediction tool at Nationwide Children's Hospital; conduct statistical analysis to establish variables that significantly contributed to dental caries; and promote and share the impact of this work to network partners. . By developing a predictive CRA methodology based on global variables already collected for all patients, this investment will facilitate consistent incorporation of CRA methodologies into the normal course of well-child visits. The focus will shift from oral disease management and control to prevention, resulting in improved oral health outcomes for young children and an increase in care provider engagement in oral health care. $224,488 will be used to support personnel time to oversee implementation of all aspects of the project, including coordinating and ensuring timely completion of project activities, serving as liaison to the advisory group and other collaborative partners, development of project-related materials, and coordinating dissemination of project-related information; consultants from the dental and medical community to provide overall direction for project implementation and oversight to the research component, including data collection and analysis and reporting/publication of findings; resources needed to fund the prospective and retrospective studies at NCH and Marshfield Clinic; and travel, meeting expenses, and administrative costs associated with the project's implementation. This proposal aligns with the Oral Health 2020 Goal 4 of eradicating dental disease in children and the target that, with the closing of disparity gaps, 85% of children reach age 5 without a cavity.