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Children with poor oral health have trouble concentrating in class, have lower self-esteem, and it can adversely affect their social interactions. Studies show that rates of early childhood caries (ECC) are five times higher than those of asthma, making it the most common chronic childhood disease. It further demonstrates that poor oral health has a significant impact on a child’s growth, development and overall quality of life. 

“We tell parents and encourage them to be the main influential factor in helping their children maintain good oral health,” says associate professor of pediatric dentistry and researcher Maryam Amin. “Regular dental visits allow for early detection and prevention of oral diseases. Parents must supervise their children’s oral hygiene.” 

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, ECC accounts for about one-third of all day surgeries performed on Canadian children between the ages of one and five. “The recommendation is to see a dentist within six months of the first tooth erupting or by the child’s first birthday,” says Amin. “We understand there are sometimes barriers preventing them from utilizing dental care, but regular attendance teaches and forces children to think about their health.” 

The Mike Petryk School of Dentistry has many programs available that focus on school-aged children. This includes a “school visit” program that offers free dental treatments to children living in underserved areas. The program has been around for more than a decade. Established in 2012, SMILE is another volunteer initiative led by dental hygiene students that aims to provide oral health education by visiting schools and hospitals across Edmonton. Since 2008, the division of pediatric dentistry has also initiated an outreach program serving inner-city children and their families by providing oral health education and prevention services. 

Amin takes her research team into communities considered to be the most vulnerable and into immigrant populations to do dental outreach work, as well. They conduct community-based integrated workshop programs that engage these communities in oral health promotion activities for their children.