American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Launches Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center

Supporting Optimal Oral Health for All Children

CHICAGO, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the authority on children's oral health, announced today the creation of their Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100222/AAPDLOGO)

The goal of the Center is to inform and advance research and policy analysis that will promote optimal oral health care for children.  Through the AAPD, the Center will conduct research studies and policy analysis to further the understanding of practices which will improve oral health for all children.  Upcoming work will focus on areas such as successful Medicaid dental reforms, effective oral health literacy efforts, the benefits of establishing a dental home by age one and the efficacy of expanded function dental assistant laws.  The Center will assist federal and state policymakers in determining the best policies to positively improve the oral health status of children.  

"Our Center will allow the AAPD to produce timely and high quality research and policy analysis on critical issues impacting children's oral health," said AAPD President Dr. John R. Liu.  "Too often, policymakers are presented with simplistic 'solutions' to children's oral health that don't hold up to rigorous scrutiny.  The AAPD's Center will serve as the resource for children's oral health policy and research."

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

Founded in 1947, the AAPD is a not-for-profit membership organization representing the specialty of pediatric dentistry. The AAPD's nearly 8,000 members represent practically the entire U.S. pediatric dentist workforce, along with those general dentists who treat a significant number of children.  Pediatric dentists are primary care providers who deliver comprehensive specialty treatments for infants, children, adolescents and individuals with special health care needs.  As advocates for children's oral health, the AAPD aims to promote the use of evidence-based policies and guidelines, foster research concerning pediatric oral health, and educate health care providers and the public to improve children's oral health.  For further information, please visit the AAPD website at www.aapd.org.

SOURCE American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry