First few Article Sentences
When the Valley Community Clinic’s Dental Center opened in 2003, its program was created for, and focused on, adult patients. However, when the VCC Pediatric Center opened in 2005, Dental Director Dr. Rachel Goldberg, became concerned that very few children were coming to the Dental Center. She was even more concerned because those children that did come in were showing serious tooth decay at very young ages. She determined to combat both her concerns.
When Dr. Goldberg was introduced to the concept of a “dental home” for children that began in their first year of life, she knew this had to be a reality at VCC. The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that every child receive an oral health assessment by age 6 months, and that babies have a dental home by age 1 year. Per the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, the “Dental Home” delivers “a child’s oral health care in a comprehensive, continuously accessible, coordinated and family-centered way via a licensed dentist. This enhances the dental professional’s ability to assist children and their parents to achieve optimum oral health care for overall health of the child.” An aggressive oral health program for infants and young children (6 months – 6 years) is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and is key in reducing childhood caries and greatly increasing childhood oral health.