A grant in the amount of $424,000 was awarded for researchers at Kennesaw State University in Georgia to study how flouride varnish is applied to kids teeth. The grant was awarded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in particular to explore how pediatricians apply fluoride varnish to kids teeth.
The grant is for a three year period of time. It is the first NIH grant awarded soley to Kennesaw State. Fluoride varnishis applied to help reduce decay for both primary teeth and permanent teeth and thus can help improve oral health. In the U.S. insurance pays for pediatricians to apply fluoride varnish to young children. Even so it has been reported that only 4% of pediatricians report regularly applying fluoride varnish to the primary teeth of infants and children. Due to affordability issues many children particulary under three years old due not see a dentist. However, they do see a pediatrician every year so there is an opportunity for pediatricians to help improve oral health through the fluoride varnish applications. Many pediatricians say they do not apply fluoride varnish due to the time it takes to do and also they have concerns about the cost effectiveness.
The grant thus is to help improve pediatricians willingness to apply flouride varnish to kids teeth. The researchers will partner with pediatric clinics in Georgia that apply fluoride varnish to kids to to study how this is done. Teams will be sent to the clinics and the flouride varnish application process will be videotaped. The goal is to take over 100 video recordings and then analyze them. This will help to measure how long it actually takes for one child to have flouride varnish applied including the time from when child is sitting down in the office, the preparation of supplies for the varnish, the flouride varnish application process and any medical records/paperwork needed. It is believed that this will result in documenting best practices to share with other pediatricians who do not currently use fluoride varnish applications on children.
The study aims to help improve children’s oral health and help increase access to fluoride varnish in non-dental settings. The study should result in a greater overall a positive impact on kids teeth and more pediatricians using fluoride varnish applications in their practices.
Sources:
- Keenesaw State University News, “Kennesaw State professors awarded NIH grant to improve children’s oral health, April 28, 2022. https://news.kennesaw.edu/stories/2022/professors-awarded-nih-grant-to-improve-childrens-oral-health.php