Module 2 presents information to help oral health professionals provide optimal oral health care for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) by creating a shared philosophy of care among families and oral health professionals. The module offers guidance on providing family-centered oral health care—a philosophy for working with families of CSHCN whereby the oral health care system is responsive to the priorities and unique needs of each family, and the family understands its rights and responsibilities. The module also describes facilitators of access to oral health care and indicators of quality oral health care for children from the family’s perspective.
This module provides three downloadable tools:
These tools can help oral health professionals make targeted improvements to their office set-up and services, assess the family’s satisfaction with oral health services, and solicit feedback for improving services.
Learning Objectives
- Explain the meaning of “family-centered care” and describe two ways to help ensure that oral health care is family centered.
- Describe two ways that oral health professionals can prepare children and parents for in-office oral health care.
- Describe two facilitators of access to oral health care and two indicators of quality oral health care.