Media Mix

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AAPD President Contributes Article on the AAPD President Featured in Value of Back-to-School Appointments Palmero Health Newsletter

AAPD President Dr. Joe Castellano submitted an article to AUGUST IS CHILDREN’S EYE HEALTH AND SAFETY Dr.Bicuspid.com reminding parents and pediatric patients to focus on AWARENESS MONTH their oral health care. “Safety is paramount in all areas of , and eye safety is no According to the article, “Studies have shown that poor oral health exception,” said American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) can lead to poor overall heath and poor performance in school. Get- President Dr. Joe Castellano. “All dental care providers need to ting your pediatric patients examined before the school year starts will have and wear eye protection during dental procedures. It is equally help ensure that every child has the best possible chance at success. important that eyewear is always provided to patients to keep their With the craziness of the summertime and the “back-to-school” in our eyes safe. Splattered or aerosolized fluids containing pathogenic bac- offices, and hygienists can provide certain tips and guidelines teria and flying fragments (which are basically projectiles), can to parents and caregivers to help keep their children cavity-free and contact our eyes, or those of our patients, at any time during a dental start the school year right.” procedure. Donning protective eyewear for every dental procedure is the easiest and safest way to ensure that the patient’s and the dental care teams’ eyes remain free from harm.” AAPD Research on Early Dental Visits Featured in ADA News New Mouth Monster Hub Content AAPD announced research findings in August which were covered in the ADA News. The research, which is part of a series of studies LITTLE TEETH TRUTHS: IS MY KID A GOOD launched in 2014 aimed at exploring pediatric medical providers’ CANDIDATE FOR DENTAL BRACES/? perceptions and practices surrounding oral health, produced a predic- tive model, “that suggests the odds of a child having tooth decay at the first dental visit more than doubles for every year of increased age,” according to a news release about the study. “By delaying the first dental visit, parents take an unnecessary gamble on their child’s oral health,” said Dr. Paul Casamassimo, chief policy officer of the AAPD’s oral health research and policy center and a member of the ADA’s Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention.

AAPD national spokesperson Dr. Laji James addresses this pressing parent question in part by stating, “By becoming a patient of a pediatric , you will have access not only to a Dental Home, but also a pediatric dentist that will help guide your oral health care decisions.

Your child will be a good candidate for dental braces if they have healthy teeth, healthy gums and good daily habits of keeping their teeth clean. Your dentist may refer you to a pediatric dentist or orthodontist that has received special training in both evaluating and correcting problems with occlusion. Occlusion refers to the alignment of teeth and the way that the upper and lower teeth fit together (bite). The upper teeth should fit slightly over the lower teeth. The points of the molars should fit the grooves of the opposite molar.”

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