Perinatal Health & Wellness Program Assures Dental Health
KinderSmile Pre/Postnatal Program has been re-named, re-structured and largely expanded to become KinderSmile Perinatal Health & Wellness Program (KSPHW). Most notably, the improved program provides continuity of dental care for pregnant & recently postpartum women who are uninsured to receive the treatment/education they need to be oral health ambassadors not only for their families but also their communities. KSPHW helps assure pregnant and recently postpartum women that their children with have a Dental Home from birth through age 17, even if they are uninsured.
Oral health is a gateway to overall well-being, and participants of KSPHW benefit from our holistic approach which includes multiple oral health education workshops. Sessions highlight topics such as the impact of maternal health on the developing fetus, caries disease transmission from care-givers to infants/toddlers, effects of early childhood caries, inappropriate use of baby bottles or “sippy” cups, the importance of good nutrition and more.
One of the most important takeaways of the perinatal program is the significance of registering children with a Dental Home by age 1. The uninsured matriarchs receive up to one year of free dental care for themselves by completing the KSPHW education workshops, but, perhaps more importantly, their unborn/newborn babies are linked to KinderSmile Community Oral Health Center (KSCOHC) right away, as are any other children in the family who are under the age of 18.
All participants are provided with free tooth brush, fluoride toothpaste, dental floss and appropriate education material on oral health. Nutritious refreshments are served at each session which is taught by KinderSmile Foundation staff members including Dr. Nicole McGrath, Dr. Sara Kalambur, Monique Whyte and Ashley Perez.
So far, 18 women have completed the Perinatal Health & Wellness Program and are currently receiving treatment at KSCOHC. Through budding relationships with East Orange WIC program and Partnership for Maternal & Child Health of Northern New Jersey, we strive to “graduate” at least 75 women from KSPHW by August 2017.
Take a look at one of our favorite instructional videos for postpartum mothers: