Silent struggles: Shedding light on oral myofunctional challenges in little ones

In recent years, dentistry’s focus has been on sleep, airway and myofunctional therapy.  There is one group that has been left to the wayside; the infant and toddler population.  Dental professionals were not fully trained on caring for this age group.  We are missing a big link to future problems by waiting on seeing these children. The future of the dental field and oral health is early disease prevention without picking up a scaler.

Audience Take Away:

• Examine the ADA recommendations that the first dental visit should occur within six months after the baby's first tooth appears, but no later than the child's first birthday.
• Define the RDH's role in seeing patients starting as infants and what to look for.
• Describe what early intervention in a dental office could look like.