WOW YOUR PATIENTS WHO ARE PARENTS WITH AN ONLINE BABY ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM

Every dental practice, whether or not the dentist chooses to provide care for infants and toddlers, treats parents and prospective parents.  These parents are interested in their child’s/childrens’ oral health and need current information about oral health starting in infancy, preventive care and methods, nursing caries, etc.

An invaluable online resource is now available to the general public as well as dental professionals---the BABY ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM (bOHP).  Visitors to www.babyoralhealthprogram.org/ will read a series of headlines that emphasize the incredible importance of oral health beginning in infancy and continuing for a lifetime.  Headlines are:  HEALTHY BABIES HAVE HEALTHY TEETH;  EARLY EVALUATION AND EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO PREVENTING THE ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF DENTAL DISEASE;  and EVERY CHILD DESERVES A HEALTHY SMILE.  These headlines are followed by powerful explanations that emphasize each concept.  In other words, headlines on the homepage followed by brief explanations demand a parent’s attention as he or she contemplates how to start the child on a lifetime of oral health.  Examples of the explanations that work to grab parents’ attention:  “Early evaluation and education is the key to preventing the acquisition and development of dental disease.” and  “Every infant and child is worthy of the opportunity to benefit from contemporary knowledge and measures that will improve his or her oral health, overall health, and health trajectory.”

The bOHP website offers a virtual “bOHP Kit” which presents dental health care providers with the knowledge and tools to comfortably and effectively provide preventive oral health services for infants and toddlers.  Tabs on the site are (1) FOR PARENTS, (2) WHY bOHP?, (3) ABOUT bOHP, and (4) CONTRIBUTORS.  The bOHP was produced by Rocio B. Quinonez, DMD, MS, MPH Associate Professor, Pre-Doctoral Program Director, Departments of Pediatric Dentistry and Pediatrics, School of Dentistry and Medicine, UNC-CH with contributions from a number of well-respected academicians and practicing dentists.

I urge you and your staff to visit the website www.babyoralhealthprogram.org/ and alert parents among your patient base to visit as well.  Your interest and energy to assure each patient’s children stay dentally healthy even before the child is brought for regular dental appointments will elevate the regard and respect patients have for your practice.  Talk about an excellent marketing tool!!