The Pew Charitable Trusts - State and Consumer Initiatives about

Dental Therapists in New Zealand: What the Evidence Shows

This brief provides an overview of New Zealand’s use of dental therapists to provide care for children, and offers insights for U.S. policymakers about how midlevel providers can expand children’s access to dental care, prevent and treat tooth decay, and improve public health.

New Opportunities to Expand Home Visiting

More than a decade of bipartisan work in states has led to improved access to learning and health opportunities for children like evidence-based home visiting and high-quality pre-k.

Kentucky Enacts Outcomes-Driven Home Visiting Policy

On April 4, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear signed into law a measure that sets up one of the strongest home visiting systems in the country by building on the strength of Kentucky’s flagship home visiting program for new and expectant parents, the Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) Program.

Arkansas Passes Legislation to Strengthen Home Visiting

On March 28, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe signed into law a measure that sets up one of the strongest home visiting systems in the country by ensuring investments are directed to programs that are proven to achieve successful results for children and families.

Working With Midlevel Providers: Dentists' Perspectives

Midlevel dental providers perform preventive care and routine restorative duties, such as filling cavities. Although they work in more than 50 countries, including Canada and Britain, Minnesota and Alaska are the two states in which midlevel dental providers are licensed to work as part of the dental team. In Minnesota, dental therapists work in a variety of settings. Two dentists who supervise these practitioners in Minnesota share their perspectives.

Minneapolis Star Tribune: Minnesota Dental Therapy Model Goes Nationwide

Christy Fogarty was certified Feb. 15 as the state’s first advanced dental therapist, which is reason to cheer unless you’re 7 year old Tia Seaberry. Tia, wearing pink sequined boots and bluejeans on a recent Wednesday morning, will be forgiven

Baltimore Sun: Advocates, Insurers Duel Over Cost of Child Dental Coverage

Health advocates are concerned that new guidance from the Obama administration could make it more expensive for some low- and middle-income parents to pay for dental insurance for their children once the new health care law takes effect next year.

Politico: 'Dental Therapists' Spark Debate

Some state lawmakers think they've found the solution to the nation's severe dental care access problem, but so far, only two states are using the touted "dental therapists" — and dentists aren’t thrilled about the idea.

Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Prior Exam Rule Hinders Prevention of Child Tooth Decay

We can improve oral health for Hawaii's children. And we should — because the numbers tell a disturbing story.

Video Highlights from 2013 Home Visiting Summit

On Feb. 13–14, 2013, The Pew Charitable Trusts co-hosted the Third National Summit on Quality in Home Visiting Programs with Every Child Succeeds and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. On this page, videos from five of the presenters show highlights of their remarks.

Sun Journal: Caroline Zimmerman: Oral Health Access an Issue for Many Mainers

Dr. Michelle Mazur-Kary, president of the Maine Dental Association, wrote in her guest column (Feb. 3) about Maine’s “A” grade from the Pew Center on the States for dental sealants.

KING - NBC: Dental Problems a Leading Factor in School Absences

Dental problems are impacting attendance and grades in Pierce County schools (California), prompting county health officials to target the root of the problem.

KBIA Public Radio: Why Missouri Is Falling Short on Children's Dental Health

The Pew Charitable Trust recently released a report or oral health that didn’t speak too highly of Missouri. On an A through F scale, it gave the state a D for its efforts to provide access to dental sealants for high-need kids.

Solving Social Ills Through Early Childhood Home Visiting

The Pew Home Visiting Campaign presents 11 studies highlighting gains in education, health and future livelihoods at less cost to taxpayers through home visiting.

The Patriot-News: Pennsylvania Gets a D for Programs to Prevent Tooth Decay in Children

Pennsylvania has received a D for its efforts to protect low-income children from tooth decay. The grade comes from the Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-profit that identifies problems within the states and promotes solutions.

The Gazette: Iowa Receives 'C' Grade in Dental Health Report

Iowa scores right in the middle in a new report that grades states on preventing tooth decay, according to a new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Denver Post: More Colorado Kids Need Preventive Dental Care

Colorado, like most states, isn’t doing enough to prevent tooth decay in children, according to a new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: State Among 5 With High Grade on Child Dental Sealants

Wisconsin is among the five states in the country with the most extensive programs to place dental sealants - plastic coatings applied to the chewing surface of molars to prevent tooth decay - in children, according to a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Times-Picayune: Report Gives Louisiana a 'D' for Quality of Dental Care for Poor Kids

Louisiana got poor marks for the availability of programs to provide crucial dental care to low-income children, according to a new report by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

WLRN Public Radio: Amazing Sealants Defeat Childhood Tooth Decay But Does Florida Care? Study Says 'No'

Florida is missing a cheap and easy bet for improving the dental health of its children, according to a new survey from the Pew Charitable Trusts

WFSU Public Radio: Poor Access to Kids' Dental Care Costing Fla. Taxpayers

Florida, along with most U.S. states, is failing to prevent tooth decay in children in a key way, according to a report the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trusts released on Tuesday.

Falling Short

Pew’s 50-state report finds that most states are not doing enough to use a proven strategy for preventing tooth decay, unnecessarily driving up health care costs for families and taxpayers.

Most States Lag on Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are clear plastic coatings that prevent tooth decay and take only a few minutes to apply to the chewing surfaces of permanent molars, the most cavity-prone teeth.

The Sun Sentinel: Flordia Earns 'D' in Kids' Dental Health Report

Florida needs to put more teeth in its policies to protect children's dental health, if the results of a new national report by the Pew Children's Dental Campaign is any judge.

Zero to Three: New Research Strengthens Home Visiting Field

Voluntary home visiting matches parents with trained professionals to provide information and support during pregnancy and throughout a child's first few years.

NYT: Sharp Cuts in Dental Coverage for Adults on Medicaid

Banned from tightening Medicaid eligibility in recent years, many states have instead slashed optional benefits for millions of poor adults in the program.

Back to School

Millions of children entering school aren’t ready to learn. But a good home visiting program makes a difference, increasing graduation rates by as much as 56 percent.

Dental Problems Affect School Performance

In this video, a teacher and a high school student share their experiences with how dental problems affect the classroom. Community water fluoridation and dental sealants are two of the cost-effective ways for states to prevent decay so children are more likely to stay in school and perform better in class.

Michigan Creates Data-Driven Standards for Home Visiting

On August 1, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed into law a measure that ensures that the state’s investment in home visiting goes to proven, effective programs. The act, which was approved unanimously in the senate and by a bipartisan majority

Expanding the Dental Safety Net

This white paper from the Pew Children's Dental Campaign investigates how the addition of dental therapists to the dental team may expand the capacity of federally qualified health clinics to treat more children.

Medicaid Financing of Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs

Various funding streams—federal, state, local, and private—support home visiting programs. Recently, in light of Medicaid's ability to reach so many low-income and at-risk families, interest has been growing in its potential to finance home visiting services for eligible mothers and children.

Iowa Law Directs Home Visiting Funds to Proven Programs

Iowa has emerged as a national leader for using solid evidence and data-driven accountability systems to get the best possible outcomes from its home visiting investments.

Maryland Adopts Data-Driven Policies for Home Visiting

In April, Maryland lawmakers unanimously approved legislation that creates one of the best systems in the nation for investing home visiting dollars effectively.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

39% of child abuse cases happen in the first four years of life. A good home visiting program can cut this number in half.

Water Fluoridation: What the Science Says

Several individuals with extensive knowledge of public health research share their conclusions about water fluoridation based on the scientific evidence.

Slideshow: New Types of Dental Providers in Alaska Help Close the Access Gap

Learn more about how dental health aide therapists (DHATs) serve Alaska’s tribal communities.

A Costly Dental Destination

Already stressed state budgets are shouldering an extra burden to cover expensive emergency room (ER) treatment for toothaches and other avoidable dental ailments, according to a report by the Pew Center on the States.

Expanding the Dental Workforce

Expanding the dental workforce is one cost-effective way for states to improve access for underserved Americans. Pew is working with policymakers and advocates in several states to explore creating new types of dental providers.

Rep. Jerry Madden: The Case for Home Visiting

State Representative Jerry Madden (R) describes how high-quality programs can help break the cycle of people going to prison.

Libby Doggett: The Case for Home Visiting

Pew Home Visiting Campaign Director Libby Doggett describes how high-quality programs can help prevent some of society's costliest problems.

Bill Maas: Water Fluoridation

Dr. Bill Maas, a dental policy expert and advisor to the Pew Children’s Dental Campaign, talks about how fluoride helps improve dental health and what’s at stake.

Protests Mark Child Poverty Forums in Kansas

SOCIAL POLICY BEAT: Holding town hall meetings on ways to reduce childhood poverty might seem unlikely to offend anyone. But don't tell that to the folks in Kansas.

Penn State Case Spurs Movement for New Child Abuse Reporting Laws

TODAY'S TAKE: The Penn State sex abuse scandal has lawmakers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and elsewhere considering new reporting requirements for those who learn of crimes against children.

Water Fluoridation: Frequently Asked Questions

The Pew Children’s Dental Campaign supports water fluoridation because it’s one of the most cost effective strategies for states and communities to improve the oral health of their residents. Although a number of communities in the U.S. have been fluoridating their

Watch a Home Visit

What is home visiting? This photo and audio tour provides an intimate glimpse into voluntary parent mentoring programs.

Shelly Gehshan: The Gap in Dental Care

Shelly Gehshan discusses the gap in dental care and how, nationwide, more than 16 million children go without seeing a dentist each year.

Improving Dental Care in Minnesota

Minnesota is expanding access to dental care with new types of dental health providers.

Reimbursing Physicians for Fluoride Varnish

For young children, the medical office is an ideal place to deliver a set of preventive dental services—including the application of fluoride varnish.

Libby Doggett: Home Visiting Programs Get a Funding Boost

Libby Doggett discusses how federal funding for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program has impacted state initiatives.

Report: South Struggles to Provide Child Well-Being

TODAY'S TAKE: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi rank lowest on a new 50-state assessment of child well-being.