ECOH Vision Statement To be recognized as the international leader in infant and toddler oral health education and research, and in the development of service delivery models. To be the leader in stimulating policy change to dramatically mitigate the unmet need in the management of childhood dental caries worldwide.

ECOH Early Childhood Oral Health Surgeon General called childhood caries “the silent epidemic” and the greatest unmet need in childhood Dental caries is a preventable transmissible infectious disease Early intervention is key, as devastating effect can be seen as early as age 18 months

That’s why the following organizations all recommend an oral health assessment and intervention no later than age 1 –American Dental Association –American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry –American Academy of Pediatrics ECOH Early Childhood Oral Health

What have we done? –Washington’s ABCD (access to baby and child dentistry) has successfully begun training GP dentists to see children at very young ages to prevent disease. This program’s published results show improved oral health where the ABCD program is in place. –UW has been a leader in establishing core research, service delivery models and education programs to raise public awareness and to train professionals to address this important childhood problem ECOH Early Childhood Oral Health

What will ECOH do? –ECOH will organize, plan and disseminate important research to address the devastating childhood dental caries problem –UW’s ECOH program will become known as the center of excellence in managing issues related to prevention of childhood caries by creating a fundable research agenda, and by creating the best practices that can establish educational programs across thee country and around the world to manage the caries epidemic. –No single institution possesses the breadth and depth of expertise in this arena as does UW ECOH Early Childhood Oral Health

Dozens of UW healthcare professionals from a variety of disciplines are devoting their exclusive efforts toward the mission of ECOH including: –Dentists –Pediatricians –Family physicians –Nurses –Social workers –Public health experts –Medical Education specialists –Biostatisticians –Psychologists ECOH Early Childhood Oral Health

What will ECOH funding allow? –Create important endowed chairs in Pediatric Dentistry, Oral Biology, Dental Public Health Sciences, and Pediatrics in order to attract and retain the most prominent experts –Create a physical center wherein service delivery training models can be developed and disseminated to others across the globe –UW dental students will be the first in the nation to uniformly receive training in managing the oral health of infants and toddlers, together with pediatrics residents –Create administrative support to manage major clinic operation, as well as clinical research management ECOH Early Childhood Oral Health