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Oral Health

 

Although tooth decay is nearly 100% preventable, it is the leading chronic infectious disease affecting children. Almost all children and adolescents have gingivitis, an early stage of periodontal disease; however, children with diabetes are at increased risk for periodontitis, an irreversible stage of periodontal disease increasing the risk of permanent tooth damage. On average, 51 million school hours per year are lost to dental-related illnesses in the US.

Oral Health has become a recent priority area for COR with projects focusing both on reducing early childhood caries in low-income children and periodontal disease in adolescents with diabetes. The emergence of this priority has been aligned with oral health movements in Colorado and the nation. COR researchers (Drs. Braun, Daley and Morrato) have been working directly with local foundations and the National Institute of Dental Cranial Research (NIDCR) on multiple projects. All projects involve vulnerable populations at high risk for dental disease. Innovative ideas being evaluated include the provision of preventive dental care by medical providers at well child checks, the co-location of dental hygienists into medical offices, and the incorporation of oral preventive health into Head Start classrooms. These evaluations stand to change how preventive oral health is provided to patients and the policies that govern the care. 

Please note that the information below does NOT print well. 

Current Grants

Center for Native Oral Health Research (CNOHR)
Principal Investigator: Judith Albino, PhD COHO: William Henderson, PhD, MPH CPR Co-Investigators: Elaine Morrato, DrPH, MPH, Patricia Braun, MD Funding Agency: NIH/NIDCR (U54 DE019259-01)
Amount: $14,800,000
Term: 10/01/08 – 5/31/15

Evaluation of Cavity Free by Three Intervention
Principal Investigator: Patricia A. Braun, MD, MSPH
COR Co-Investigators: Matthew F. Daley, MD, Elaine Lowry, DrPH, MPH
Funding Agency: Cavity-Free by Three
Amount: $190,820
Term: 2009 - 2011

Oral Healthcare Early Intervention Project
Principal Investigator: Matthew F. Daley, MD
COR Co-Investigators: Patricia A. Braun, MD, MSPH, Elaine Lowry, DrPH, MPH
Funding Agency: Delta Dental Foundation - PN200703-001
Amount: $163,224
Term: 2007 - 2010

Periodontal Health Status in Adolescents with Type I Diabetes
Principal Investigator: Elaine Morrato, DrPH, MPH
Co-Investigators: Paul Wadwa, MD and David Maahs, MD (Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes) and Lonnie Johnson, DDS PhD (SODM) and Anne Wilson, DDS MS (TCH Dental Clinic)
Staff: Franziska Bishop, MS (BDC), Valerie Orlando, RDH MA (CSPH), and Fran Dong, MS (COR)
Funding Agency: TCH Research Institute Pilot Award - MO1-RR00069 (General Clinical Research Centers Program, NCRR, NIH), P&G Company, and Delta Dental Foundation Frontier Center
Amount: $190,000
Term: 2007 - 2010

Microbiology of Periodontal Disease in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes
Principal Investigator: Anwar Merchant, DDS PhD (Univ. of South Carolina)
COR Co-Investigator: Elaine Morrato, DrPH MPH
Staff: Franziska Bishop, MS (BDC), Valerie Orlando, RDH MA (CSPH)
Funding Agency: NIDCR (R-21)
Status: Under review

Microbiology of Periodontal Disease in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes
Principal Investigator: Anwar Merchant, DDS PhD (Univ. of South Carolina)
COR Co-Investigator: Elaine Morrato, DrPH MPH
Staff: Franziska Bishop, MS (BDC), Valerie Orlando, RDH MA (CSPH)
Funding Agency: American Diabetes Association
Status: Not funded

Abstracts

Morrato EH, Wadwa RP, Maahs DM, Bishop FK, , Wilson AR, Orlando VA, Dong F, Merchant A Johnson LR. Periodontal Health Status in Relationship to Glycemic Control among Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes. To be submitted for the 2010 Scientific Meetings of the American Diabetes Association

Bishop FK, Wadwa RP, Maahs DM, Orlando VA, Johnson LR, Wilson AR, Dong F, Morrato EH. Nutritional Status and Oral Health among Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes. To be submitted for the 2010 Scientific Meetings of the American Diabetes Association

Presentations

Flake C, Johnson L, Orlando V, Bishop F, Wadwa P, Wilson A, Maas, D, Morrato EH. Periodontal health status of adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Poster presentation at the 25th Annual Research Day at the School of Dental Medicine. February 18, 2009. University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO.

Publications

Orlando VA, Johnson LR, Wilson AR, Maahs DM, Wadwa RP, Bishop FK, Dong F, Morrato EH. Oral Health Knowledge and Behaviors among Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes. International J Dentistry (under review)