2016 Community Benefit Report CHAI_160088756_2016 Community Benefit Report_FIN - | Page 16

2016 COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORT
Two Generations
School Partnership Educates Young Parents on Dental Health
Pregnancy and babies don’t come with a textbook, and teen parents especially
need extra help and support. Adolescent parents have unique needs for parenting
information and advice, as they are still learning to attend to their own health
and wellbeing. One area critical for young parent education includes dental
health. Parents who have the tools for good oral health can take better care of
themselves and their babies.
“The germs that cause cavities are passed to the infant very
early in life – before the baby’s teeth even come in,” says Valerie
Haustein, a dental hygienist at Children’s Hospital Colorado. “If
parents have experienced cavities themselves, the cavity causing
germs can be passed from parent to baby and make their new
teeth susceptible to decay.”
Many people have come to see cavities as an inevitable rite of
passage in their child’s life. But Valerie says tooth decay is nearly
100% preventable. In a coordinated effort to promote good oral
health and preventive care for both the parent and the child,
Children’s Colorado partnered with Aurora Public Schools’ (APS)
Young Parent Support Program.
“Aurora Public Schools has been supporting pregnant and
parenting teens for more than 35 years,” says Danette Lippman,
director of health services at APS. “The Young Parent Support
Program (YPSP) is committed to helping pregnant and parenting
students navigate the multiple challenges of being a teen mother
or father and succeeding in school.”
The program teaches teens to parent with a purpose –
providing education on dental health and overall health
for the baby and themselves.
“ W E ’ R E I M PA C T I N G T WO
G E N E R AT I O N S O F L I V E S
( PA R E N T A N D C H I L D ) T H R O U G H
THIS PROGRAM AND HELPING
TO MAKE CHILDREN AND
FA M I L I E S H E A LT H I E R A N D
S T R O N G E R .”
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Teen parents are involved in the program across high schools in
Aurora. Valerie visits these schools to host teen discussion groups
around child dental health, answer questions about growth and
development, teething, good nutrition and feeding practices,
and help young parents prevent tooth decay for their infants and
toddlers. She and others from the Dental Center at Children’s
Colorado also offer dental screening and preventative services for
the preschool age children.
“Research shows that early oral health intervention and education
goes a long way in preventing the development of cavities,”
explains Danette. “If we can prevent cavities at an early age, we are
positioning children for better success in school and in life.”
Danette and Valerie agree, “We’re impacting two generations of
lives (parent and child) through this program and helping to make
children and families healthier and stronger.”