178 - Adverse Childhood Experience Regarding Children's Oral Health and Dental Care Services

Adverse Childhood Experience Regarding Children’s Oral Health and Dental Care Services, Wu N, Kim G, Lawler C, Lee J, Kim D, Okuji D (NYU Langone Dental Medicine, Brooklyn, NY)


Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence to various adverse childhood experiences (ACE) on children’s oral health and use of dental care services.


Methods: Data for 21,599 children, aged 0 to 17 years, in 2017-2018 from the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) were examined to evaluate parental/caregiver knowledge of their child’s oral health problems and preventative medical and dental visit history. Statistical results were derived using the Chi-square test and logistic regression.


Results: The response rate of the NSCH survey was 37.4%. No statistically significant association between parental/caregiver knowledge of annual preventive medical and dental history with the ACE of family income (P <0.095) or divorce (P <0.252) was found. For ACE of exposure to mental illness (P <0.001), family income (P <0.001), and frequency of ACE exposure with one experience (P <0.004) or two experiences (P <0.001), significant association was found with parental/caregiver knowledge of their child’s oral health problems.


Conclusions: Dental providers should be aware of the influence of ACEs on children’s oral health and preventive dental history. Understanding the role ACEs have on utilization of medical and dental visits and quality of life, providers can aim to improve oral health education and combat barriers these experiences may cause.