Brush, Book, Bed program comes to C.O.

For many children, and their tired parents, bedtime can be one the most dreaded times of day. Parents have often endured their child’s clever tactics to delay going to bed: tantrums, pleas for water or milk and other tricks. So, what can parents do? The American Academy of Pediatrics has a simple and clear message for parents: Brush, Book, Bed.

The purpose of the Brush, Book, Bed (BBB) Program is to link together three important nighttime routines in one health message. It aims to educate both pediatric providers and families about the importance of nighttime routines and focuses on improving the implementation of oral health services by linking oral health information to messages about early literacy and sleep.

Advantage Dental has Expanded Practice Permit Dental Hygienists (EPDHs) who work in community settings to provide prevention services and oral health education. The objective is to integrate the principles of the Brush, Book, Bed program into the WIC sites where services are currently being provided in Central Oregon. WIC sites provide services to pregnant women and children 0-5.

EPDHs provide oral health and risk assessments, prevention services, oral health education, nutritional counseling, and anticipatory guidance, and will now educate parents on the importance of nightly routines, as well as provide the family with toothbrush kits and a book appropriate to the age of the child. Another important feature of this program is that Advantage Dental’s Case Management team will connect patients who have high dental needs to appropriate dental care utilizing existing community resources.

The Brush, Book, Bed Program officially launches in Bend and Redmond this month with support from Advantage Dental, the Early Learning Hub of Central Oregon and the United Way of Deschutes County.

For more information contact Mary Ann Wren, Advantage Dental at (541) 504-3941 or visit www.liveunitedco.org/brush