• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

MetLife's New Dental Pediatric Risk Assessment Guides Help Keep Children and Parents Smiling

Posted on: Monday, 1 August 2005, 12:01 CDT

To keep a healthy smile for life, oral health care should begin at an early age. MetLife's Dental Products Division announced today that it has created two guides aimed at helping parents and children assess their risk for tooth decay and dental cavities. The MetLife Dental Pediatric Risk Assessment Guides promote improved knowledge about oral health and appropriate levels of dental care among children and their parents. One guide is intended for parents while the other is designed specifically for children who are old enough to assess their own oral health care. The guides can be obtained online by visiting www.lifeadvice.com and clicking on the heading "Calculators and Tools."

The guides use a series of questions to help parents and children identify personal factors associated with higher risk for tooth decay. Also included in the guides is educational information and best practices to reduce risk. Focusing on sugar intake, brushing and flossing habits, and fluoride exposure, the guides also encourage parents and children to discuss preventive measures with their dentist. With dentists and patients working more closely together, it is anticipated that oral health problems will be detected earlier and treatment tailored to meet individual needs.

Dr. Alan Vogel, vice president, MetLife Dental Product Management, said, "By learning how to reduce their risk of tooth decay, children can take steps to improve their oral health now and develop good habits that will last them throughout their lifetime. Ultimately, this can lead to fewer lost school days today and fewer lost workdays later in life due to dental care issues. The new Dental Pediatric Risk Assessment Guides are part of MetLife's commitment to promoting the improved oral health of Americans through education and the strengthening of communication between patients and their dentists."

"A successful approach to oral health care emphasizes personal risk assessment, early recognition, prevention and intervention when treatment needs are minimal. A critical component is the proactive involvement of patients. Even young children should be made aware of the concept of prevention and what it can accomplish," said Dr. James Kennedy, Dean Emeritus of the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine and Chair of the MetLife Dental Advisory Council.

Formed in 1995, the MetLife Dental Advisory Council is comprised of practicing and academic dentists as well as corporate benefit representatives. The Council helps oversee MetLife's Quality Initiatives Program. Council member Dr. James Crall, professor and chair, Pediatric Dentistry, UCLA School of Dentistry, developed the pediatric risk assessment guides.

The Peanuts(TM) character Snoopy is featured on the brightly colored new MetLife Dental Pediatric Risk Assessment Guides. An electronic version of the guides can be made available to MetLife employer group customers for use on their Intranet sites.

MetLife Dental administers dental benefits to more than 20 million Americans at thousands of companies and organizations of all sizes.

MetLife, a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) is a leading provider of insurance and other financial services to millions of individual and institutional customers throughout the United States. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife, Inc. offers life insurance, annuities, automobile and homeowner's insurance and retail banking services to individuals, as well as group insurance, reinsurance and retirement and savings products and services to corporations and other institutions. Outside the U.S., the MetLife companies have direct insurance operations in Asia Pacific, Latin America and Europe. For more information, please visit www.metlife.com.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category