Implementing a prenatal oral health program through interprofessional collaboration.
Jeffrey T Jackson, Rocio B Quinonez, Amanda K Kerns, Alice Chuang, R Scott Eidson, Kim A Boggess, Jane A Weintraub
Author Information
Jeffrey T Jackson: Dr. Jackson is a Pediatric Dental Resident, College of Dentistry, University of Florida; this research was conducted while he was a student at the School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Quinonez is Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Kerns is a Pediatric Dental Resident, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University; Dr. Chuang is Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Eidson is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Boggess is Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Dr. Weintraub is Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Dental Ecology, and Dean, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Rocio B Quinonez: Dr. Jackson is a Pediatric Dental Resident, College of Dentistry, University of Florida; this research was conducted while he was a student at the School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Quinonez is Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Kerns is a Pediatric Dental Resident, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University; Dr. Chuang is Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Eidson is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Boggess is Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Dr. Weintraub is Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Dental Ecology, and Dean, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. quinoner@dentistry.unc.edu.
Amanda K Kerns: Dr. Jackson is a Pediatric Dental Resident, College of Dentistry, University of Florida; this research was conducted while he was a student at the School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Quinonez is Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Kerns is a Pediatric Dental Resident, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University; Dr. Chuang is Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Eidson is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Boggess is Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Dr. Weintraub is Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Dental Ecology, and Dean, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Alice Chuang: Dr. Jackson is a Pediatric Dental Resident, College of Dentistry, University of Florida; this research was conducted while he was a student at the School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Quinonez is Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Kerns is a Pediatric Dental Resident, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University; Dr. Chuang is Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Eidson is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Boggess is Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Dr. Weintraub is Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Dental Ecology, and Dean, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
R Scott Eidson: Dr. Jackson is a Pediatric Dental Resident, College of Dentistry, University of Florida; this research was conducted while he was a student at the School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Quinonez is Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Kerns is a Pediatric Dental Resident, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University; Dr. Chuang is Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Eidson is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Boggess is Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Dr. Weintraub is Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Dental Ecology, and Dean, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kim A Boggess: Dr. Jackson is a Pediatric Dental Resident, College of Dentistry, University of Florida; this research was conducted while he was a student at the School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Quinonez is Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Kerns is a Pediatric Dental Resident, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University; Dr. Chuang is Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Eidson is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Boggess is Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Dr. Weintraub is Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Dental Ecology, and Dean, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Jane A Weintraub: Dr. Jackson is a Pediatric Dental Resident, College of Dentistry, University of Florida; this research was conducted while he was a student at the School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Quinonez is Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Kerns is a Pediatric Dental Resident, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University; Dr. Chuang is Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Eidson is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Dr. Boggess is Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Dr. Weintraub is Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Dental Ecology, and Dean, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Interprofessional collaboration has become a critical component of accreditation standards in dentistry and medicine. This article reports on implementation in an academic setting of a prenatal oral health program (pOHP) that addresses coordinated care, accreditation standards, and new clinical practice guidelines. The pOHP is an educational intervention for third-year medical students, residents, and faculty members to deliver preventive oral health information and referral to a dental home for pregnant women. At the same time, senior dental students and faculty members are introduced to prenatal oral health principles and delivery of comprehensive oral health care to pregnant women. A systems-based approach was used to guide the pOHP implementation during the 2012-13 academic year. Participants were 96 third-year medical students (50% of the total in an obstetrics and gynecology clerkship) and all 81 fourth-year dental students. During that academic year, 126 dental referrals were made to the School of Dentistry, and 55 women presented for care, resulting in 50% (n=40) of dental students participating in the clinical experience and delivery of simple to complex oral health procedures. The prenatal period is a frequently missed opportunity to address oral health care. The pOHP is an interprofessional collaboration model designed to educate dental and medical providers and provide a system of referral for comprehensive clinical care of pregnant patients, including educating women about their oral health and that of their children. Such programs can help meet interprofessional accreditation standards and encourage implementation of practice guidelines.
