Integrating Oral Health into a Hospital Setting — "The Power of Oral Health" at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Oakland
Presentation Category
Community Oral Health
Introduction/Context/Diagnosis
The UCSF Children’s Hospital in Oakland is recognized as one of the top children’s hospitals in Northern California. The hospital’s expertise covers all pediatric conditions, including cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, organ transplants and orthopedics as well as the care of critically ill newborns. The complexities of hospital care often act as a barrier for oral care during hospitalization. Out-of-school learning environments, like the hospital school room, provide opportunities to improve children's oral health knowledge. This program's purpose was to provide children with a resource to learn about the importance of good oral health and be engaged with dental professionals in a safe learning environment.
Methods/Treatment Plan
Hands on instruction and interactive activities were integrated with the existing hospital school room to encourage patients to become actively engaged in learning about oral health. We utilized various adjunct materials provided by the University of the Pacific’s SCOPE program, including extra-large typodonts and toothbrushes, the marshmallow flossing demonstration, the "Dissolve-A-Tooth" chalk activity, and the healthy foods magnet game. We additionally provided coloring worksheets depicting the caries process and distributed hygiene supplies to patients and their parents, including toothbrushes, floss, and hourglass brushing timers.
Results/Outcome
We have attended the Children’s Hospital once per quarter beginning in Fall Quarter 2018, each time presenting to both a classroom and to patients at their bedside using our knowledge and resources from University of the Pacific. Parents and allied health professionals were encouraged to participate and share their own knowledge with the participants during the activities. The hospital professionals we work with have provided us with positive feedback and would like University of the Pacific dental students to continue giving presentations to the school room in the future. We will be interviewing students to take on our positions and continue this relationship between University of the Pacific and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.
Significance/Conclusions
This program was designed to model the learning opportunities that can be fostered within a hospital. Oral health educators in both traditional private practice, school based outreach, and alternative learning environments can provide non-invasive opportunities to improve the overall health of children in their care. This program illustrates how the traditional hospital setting can be utilized as a learning space to accommodate the multiple identities of children and builds an understanding of how oral health professionals can integrate learning into hospital based care.
Format
Event
Integrating Oral Health into a Hospital Setting — "The Power of Oral Health" at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Oakland
The UCSF Children’s Hospital in Oakland is recognized as one of the top children’s hospitals in Northern California. The hospital’s expertise covers all pediatric conditions, including cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, organ transplants and orthopedics as well as the care of critically ill newborns. The complexities of hospital care often act as a barrier for oral care during hospitalization. Out-of-school learning environments, like the hospital school room, provide opportunities to improve children's oral health knowledge. This program's purpose was to provide children with a resource to learn about the importance of good oral health and be engaged with dental professionals in a safe learning environment.
Comments/Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge Professor Christine Miller for helping us create this program and providing us with her knowledge and resources in public health dentistry. We would also like to acknowledge Eric Bertumen for helping us assemble our armamentarium with the various SCOPE oral health activities, typodonts, toothbrushes, and hygiene supplies.