For a significant number of children, bad oral health is a painful and chronic reality. This November 2002 National Governors Association brief describes what states can do to ensure these children have regular access to competent care and prevention.

This report from the California Dental Access Project reviews and analyzes the complex issues that must be considered and addressed to improve access to, and quality of, oral health care services for underserved populations in California.

The public perceives dental problems as more a cosmetic concern than a health issue. But Washington advocates are trying to seize the moment created by the Surgeon General's May 2000 report on children's oral health to make this largely ignored issue a top public priority.

Data from the Urban Institute's 1997 National Survey of America's Families (NSAF) indicates that almost 10 percent of low-income children had an unmet need for dental care—twice the level experienced by higher-income children.

Efforts to improve children's oral health have suffered from the perception that the care of teeth and gums is a cosmetic concern, not a legitimate health issue. The release of the Surgeon General's report on oral health represents an opportunity for advocates to change that perception. Susan Nall Bales offers suggestions.

Tooth decay causes children in the United States to miss an estimated 52 million hours of school each year. This infectious disease is easily preventable, yet preventive treatments are often excluded from health insurance packages. Senior Editor Richard Louv looks at how advocates hope to use the U.S. Surgeon General's recent report on oral health to draw attention to this chronically overlooked element of children's overall health.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's 24 parent education brochures address commonly asked questions with easy-to-understand answers and illustrations.

Up to one in ten kids suffers from early childhood caries, a severe form of tooth decay. Oral Health America has background information about preventing dental decay with sealants, and other information about children's oral health needs.