Predicting Caries Risk in Underserved Toddlers in Primary Healthcare Settings

Healthy children aged 12 months (± 3 months) at baseline stratified by Medicaid status and/or race/ethnicity to ensure a diverse representation. Each child will be paired with the primary caregiver, whom the investigators expect to most likely be the adult parent or legal guardian.

Inclusion Criteria:

Adults

• If Primary Caregiver is the Parent/Legal guardian: The parent/legal guardian must provide written informed consent for the child and her/himself (if s/he is the primary caregiver) prior to participation.
• If Primary Caregiver is not the Parent/Legal Guardian: If another individual is the primary caregiver, then this individual must provide written informed consent for her/himself prior to participation.
• The parent/legal guardian and the participating primary caregiver must each be at least 18 years old or an emancipated minor
• The parent/legal guardian must consent and allow examination of the oral cavity of her/his child. The primary caregiver must complete the caries risk assessment questionnaire.
• The primary caregiver must be willing to participate, anticipate being the child's primary caregiver during the study period, and anticipate being available for all examinations (baseline, 18 month follow up, and 36 month follow up), in addition to intermediate contacts in between examinations.

Children

• Child must be 9-15 months of age at the time of the baseline study visit.
• Child must be generally healthy (i.e., no current medical condition that makes it difficult for her/him to receive a dental examination; e.g., uncontrolled epilepsy, active cancer treatment, unrepaired congenital heart defects, need for antibiotic and/or sedative premedication prior to dental exam)
• Child must allow examination of the oral cavity.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Adults:

  • A participant pair (adult-child) who demonstrates an inability to comply with study protocol requirements will be excluded - this determination will be at the Site Primary Investigator's discretion.
  • Non-English, non-Spanish reading/speaking individuals will be excluded, as they will not be able to comprehend the consent document or complete the risk questionnaire.

Children:

•Children who are in foster care at study initiation will be excluded, due to the likelihood that their primary caregiver will change multiple times during the length of the study.