Preventive
Brayden Crump, DDS
Resident
Yale-New Haven, New Haven, CT
Yale Children's Hospital
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Michael Sultan, DDS
Program Director
Yale New Haven Health
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
The positive impacts of fluoride use on the oral health have been immense, yet Early Childhood Caries (ECC) continues as the most common chronic disease in children. Early Childhood Caries is largely preventable and water fluoridation is among the safest and most cost-effective interventions available. Understanding the accessibility and distribution of water fluoridation among patients with ECC is critical for optimizing the chances for improved lifelong oral health. This chart review examines all patients seen under general anesthesia during the calendar year of 2018. The patients' demographics were charted on a map and cross referenced with public water districts and fluoridation levels. Understanding the geographical distribution of patients can highlight areas of need as well as provide unique insight as to the most effective and appropriate interventions to address those needs.