PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Into the Mouths of Babes (IMB)

Goal: To reduce the incidence of early childhood caries in North Carolina by training medical providers to deliver preventive oral health services to Medicaid-insured children,from the time of tooth eruption to age 42 months.

Rationale: Fluoride varnish application to baby teeth is quick, painless, profitable and effective. Children with at least 4 applications before age 3 have shown an average18% reduction in tooth decay and 21% fewer hospitalizations for dental treatment. IMB also helps reduce the gap in tooth decay between children from low- and other-income families at the community level.

Target audience: Medical providers (physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses)and office staff who provide care to infants and toddlers.

Training overview: Training is generally 60 minutes and consists of a 1-hour AAFP CME/AMA Prescribed Credit live session which includes oral evaluation and risk assessment using the priority oral health and risk assessment tool (PORRT), parent education, fluoride varnish application, information on Medicaid billing, a starter supply kit, and parent educational materials.

The medical provider conducting the oral evaluation portion of the procedure must be a certified Healthcheck provider (MD, PA, or NP). In public health clinics, a registered or licensed nurse may perform the procedure with physician standing orders. The medical provider may then delegate fluoride varnish application to any trained clinical personnel.

Training Objectives: At the end of training, the learner will be able to:

  • Perform an oral evaluation.
  • Counsel parents on caring for their young child’s teeth with emphasis on brushing with the appropriate amount of fluoride toothpaste twice daily.
  • Apply fluoride varnish to teeth.
  • Make an appropriate dental home referral.

Agenda:

  1. Introduction to fluoride varnish (10 minutes)
  2. Viewing “Into the Mouths of Babes” DVD (10 minutes)
  3. Demonstration of application and helpful hints. (10 minutes)
  4. Use of PORRT video (10 minutes)
  5. Coding, billing, & supplies (5 minutes)
  6. Q & A about the procedure (5-10 minutes)

IMPORTANT:

  • Online training is currently not an available training option.
  • Practices new to IMB or that no longer have an IMB-trained employee on staff –

Require in-person training from the Oral Health Section or CCNC Quality Improvement Specialists.

  • Practices currently participating in IMBor providers who have had previous training – Do not require any additional training. If new providers/staff enter the practice, any IMB-trained employee(provider or support staff) can provide training using the Oral Health Toolkit as a guide: -OR- they can request in-person training from the Oral Health Section or CCNC Quality Improvement Specialists.

To schedulethis FREE training, please contact:

[Name]

Public Health Dental Hygienist

Region [X] – [list counties]

Division of Public Health, Oral Health Section

NC Department of Health and Human Services

[email]

[phone]

June 2018