WHAT'S NEW...IN HEALTHCARE ACCESS
ABOUT ABCD
In 1994 a group of concerned dentists, dental educators, public health agencies, the state dental association, and State Medicaid representatives came together to address the problem of the severe lack of dental access by Washington State's high-risk preschool children. The proposed solution was the development of the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) Program.
ABCD focuses on preventive and restorative dental care for Medicaid-eligible children from birth to age six, with emphasis on enrollment by age one. It is based upon the premise that starting dental visits early will yield positive behaviors by both parents and children, thereby helping to control the caries process and reduce the need for costly future restorative work.
The first ABCD program opened for enrollment in Spokane, Washington in February 1995 as a collaborative effort between several partners in the public and private sectors. Its success has led other county dental societies and health districts in Washington to adopt the program, as well as prompted interest from other states.
The ABCD Program was named a "best practice" by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in 2000. The Academy, under a 3-year HRSA grant, sought programs that use resources efficiently and are culturally competent, replicable, integrated and sustainable. More than 28 programs in 15 states submitted descriptions for review by an Academy task force. North Carolina and Washington were selected as two states with especially useful approaches.
In 2003, ABCD won the "Heroes of Health Care" award for collaboration from the Washington Health Foundation. Greg Vigdor, president and CEO of Washington Health Foundation, said, "The collaborative work of the ABCD programs across the public and private sectors is a heroic endeavor…The focus of these efforts for the benefit of our children is even more impressive."
VISIT THE ABCD web site - www.abcd-dental.org
*UPDATE: More than 60 dentists in our community are actively participating in the ABCD program. Collectively, they have helped over 10,000 children access oral healthcare services since the program’s inception in September of 2005.
ABCD Program Brings Dental Care to Pierce County Children in Need (Tacoma News Tribune)
