The Community of Madrid has launched a new Child Dental Care Plan which includes public funding of oral treatments for children between the ages of six and 16.
This program has been possible thanks to the agreement signed by the Madrid Health Service and the Official College of Dentists and Stomatologists of the Region (COEM), in order to expand oral prevention measures that, since 2007, dentists from health centers have been offering.
Free reviews and treatments for children and adolescents
In 2016, the oral health units of the Community of Madrid treated 117,000 children aged between six and 14 years. For this year, the Ministry of Health has extended benefits of this service and has raised to age 16, so it is estimated that up to 59,500 children can benefit from this new Plan.
According to the health portal of the Community of Madrid, acute, infectious or inflammatory processes, which are accompanied by a pain picture, will be prioritized for children and young people who are in the age range between six and 16 years .
The Community of Madrid has 83 Oral Health Units distributed by the different health centers in the region. In them they develop their assistance activity dentists, dental hygienists, support nurses and nursing assistants.
In order for a child to be treated in one of these Oral Health Units, you must be referred by the pediatrician or family doctor from his usual health center, and the patient, freely, will be the one who chooses the COEM dentist adhered to the agreement.
The agreement, which has a budget of 1.7 million euros, does not limit the number or type of treatments that the child is done, as long as they are included in this Child Dental Care Plan:
Services included in the Portfolio of Standardized Primary Care Services and which are: oral review, education on hygienic-dietary measures, application of professional topical fluoride or sealants in permanent molars, among other services.
New benefits established through an agreement with the COEM, which come to complement the activities carried out in the Oral Health Units.
Attention to children between 6 and 18 years old with recognized physical or mental disability that prevents them from collaborating in a traditional cabinet. This dental care will be carried out in the Oral Health Unit of the Niño Jesus University Children's Hospital.
Oral health education workshops, prevention of oral pathologies and healthy lifestyle habits, in which minors who request it through their health centers may participate.
Cavities, the main oral health problem in children
The first Oral Health Survey conducted by the Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid, revealed that the 32 percent of children under 12 years old suffers from cavities, being also six-year-old schoolchildren who have a higher rate of restoration or fillings.
Although the different prevention and treatment actions carried out by the Community of Madrid will help improve the oral health of children, it is important that from home we instill them healthy hygiene measures and eliminate those habits that may harm them.
Likewise, it is also convenient to monitor your diet (and not only for your oral health!), Know the risk factors for dental caries in childhood and, as we always say ... lead by example!
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