PEDIATRICS Vol. 54 No. 2 August 1974, pp. 182-189
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Leske, G. S.
Right arrow Articles by Leske, M. C. V.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Leske, G. S.
Right arrow Articles by Leske, M. C. V.

The Pediatrician in Community Dental Health

Gary S. Leske D.D.S., M.P.H. S.M.1 and M. Cristina Vera Leske M.D., M.P.H.1

1 New York State Department of Health, Rochester

Dental disease in children is one of the most common health problems encountered.1-3 Fifty percent of children have one or more carious teeth by the age of 2 years. Gingivitis occurs in a major portion of the child population and may lead to periodontal disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Cleft palate, with or without cleft lip, occurs once in every 700 births. Half of the school-age population has some form of malocclusion. So prevalent are these problems and so great is the backlog of dental neglect, that treatment of these defects is beyond the capabilities of the limited dental manpower we have in this country. In addition, treatment is time-consuming and expensive and the costs of dental services are constantly rising. It is obvious from these facts that dental disease cannot be controlled by treatment alone. It is only by preventing the occurrence of new disease, beginning with the child, that the problem of dental disease can be brought into a manageable form.

Pediatricians are in a unique position to have a significant impact on the dental health of their patients and communities. Since the pediatrician gives care to the child from birth, he can detect any existing abnormality early in life and promptly refer or treat the problem. Control of dental disease can best be accomplished if preventive measures are started shortly after birth. It is interesting to note that few children are seen by the dentist at the recommended age of 2frac12 to 3 years.