Children's Dental Health: Iowa

Iowa meets five of the eight policy benchmarks for strengthening children's dental health, one less than it met last year. The state reported that sealant programs were in place in less than one-quarter of high risk schools.

A 2010 report indicated that one in every ten children in Iowa had untreated tooth decay, more than the Healthy Iowans goal of one in every 50 children. The report recommended increasing reimbursement rates for dental services, as well as workforce solutions to improve the delivery of care to young kids. Over the past three years, almost all Women, Infants, and Children clinics have partnered with the I-Smile initiative, allowing dental hygienists or nurses to provide dental screenings and fluoride varnish for infants and toddlers.¹

1. T. Rodgers and X. Chen, “2010 Oral Health Survey Report, Infants and Toddlers in Iowa's WIC Program,” Oral Health Bureau, Iowa Department of Public Health, September, 2010; http://www.idph.state.ia.us/hpcdp/common/pdf/oral_health/2010_wic_survey_report.pdf, (accessed December 6, 2010,)