Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de santé publique
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Can J Public Health · Sep 2017
Redirecting public oral health fluoride varnish intervention to low socio-economic status children in Alberta.
Dental decay is most prevalent among low socio-economic status (SES) groups where cost limits access to dental care. To address inequities in oral health outcomes, Alberta Health Services (AHS) Oral Health Action Plan encompasses a population health approach that redirects fluoride varnish (FV) applications to low SES children. Using low SES measures to establish the eligibility criteria is fundamental to the delivery of FV applications to the target population. ⋯ Encompassing a population health approach to deliver standardized fluoride varnish applications to low SES children better targets inequities in oral health outcomes in Alberta. Challenges of redirecting the FV intervention include creating the eligibility criteria and engaging the target population, particularly for the preschool population. Achieving population objectives are challenged by unequal distribution of resources across the province.