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ResearchersaresearchingoranswerstotherootcausesopoororalhealthinMichigansyoungchildrenanswersthatwillcreateanactionplanorfxingthem.C14GreatStartsHEREEditorWritersALifetimeofSmilesGREATSTARTSHEREFALL2011TeriBanasAndrewHellerBrendaBrissette-MataJenniferWalklingTeriBanasGreatStartisMichigansnationallyrecognizedstatewideinitiativetofosterschoolreadinessandlifesuccessforyoungchildren.TheEarlyChildhoodInvestmentCorporationisapublicnonprotorganizationworkingtorestructureMichigansinvestmentinchildrenfrombirthtovethroughstateandlocalcommunityefforts.112E.AlleganLansingMI48933www.greatstartforkids.orgonsideredthemostcommonchildhooddiseasebytheMichiganDepartmentofCommunityHealthMDCHandvetimesmorecommonthanasthmaoralhealthisanissuethathasbroughttogetherthehealthdepartmenttheEarlyChildhoodInvestmentCorporationECICtheUniversityofMichigansChildHealthEvaluationandResearchUnittheHeadStartCollaborationOfceandtheW.K.KelloggFoundationinanimportantsix-monthstudy.TheprobelooksatchildreninchildcareandHeadStartcentersprimarypediatricfamilyclinicsandfederallyqualiedhealthcentersaroundthestate.ToothdecaywhichispreventablehasbeenlinkedtoanassortmentofseriousillnessesincludingdiabetesstrokeandheartdiseasesaidJennySalesaECICsspecialistforpediatricandfamilyhealth.ResearcherstodayarendingitisasignicantproblemamongchildreninMichigan.ByOctobermembersofUMsChildEvaluationandResearchUnitareexpectedtohaveculledenoughinformationfromtheirscreeningstodevelopanoralhealthbaselineassessmentofMichiganchildrenbirthto5.Theworkisexpectedtodisclosebarrierstoaccessandlevelsofaccesstooralhealthandwhyyoungchildrenarentgettingthedentalcaretheyneed.AmongthequestionsthatneedtobeexploredishowawareMichiganparentsanddentistsaretotheneedthatdentalcarebeginsbeforeage1evenwhenchildrenstillhavetheirso-calledbabyteethsaidJeremyReuterdirectoroftheHeadStartCollaborationOfcewhichworkswithECIC.Atage1dentalvisitscombinedwithparentawarenessandqualityoralhealthpracticesupportthefoundationsuponwhichpreventiveeducationanddentalcareisbuiltReutersaid.Thisaffordstheopportunityforalifetimefreefrompreventableoralhealthissues.WhentheinformationhasbeengatheredandsynthesizeduniversityresearcherswillworkwithECICtheHeadStartCollaborationOfceanditspartnerstodevelopanactionplanforaddressingtheoralhealthneedsofyoungchildreninMichigan.ChildrensoralhealthissuchaseriousproblemthatitisakeycomponentinplanstoimprovethestatesearlychildhoodsystemSalesaadded.ThestudyhasbeencommissionedbytheECICtheHeadStartCollaborationOfceandtheUniversityofMichiganandisfundedbytheHeadStartCollaborationOfceandtheW.K.KelloggFoundation.