NDHCE Community Oral Health 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal program provides dental care coverage for children from low-income families in the United States?
- Medicare Part B
- CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) (Correct answer)
- TRICARE
- COBRA
Correct answer: CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program)
The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides low-cost health and dental coverage to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.
Question 2: What is the optimal level of fluoride in community water supplies recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service?
- 0.2 ppm
- 0.7 ppm (Correct answer)
- 1.2 ppm
- 2.0 ppm
Correct answer: 0.7 ppm
The U.S. Public Health Service recommends 0.7 parts per million (ppm) as the optimal fluoride concentration for community water fluoridation to reduce caries while preventing dental fluorosis.
Question 3: Which oral health measure is considered the most cost-effective public health intervention for preventing dental caries on a population level?
- School-based dental sealant programs
- Community water fluoridation (Correct answer)
- Mass distribution of fluoride toothpaste
- School breakfast programs
Correct answer: Community water fluoridation
Community water fluoridation is universally recognized as the most cost-effective public health intervention for preventing dental caries, saving approximately $27 for every $1 invested.
Question 4: The DMFT index is used in community oral health surveys. What does a DMFT score of 0 indicate?
- All teeth are missing
- No caries experience in the permanent dentition (Correct answer)
- The index was not applicable to this patient
- Maximum caries severity
Correct answer: No caries experience in the permanent dentition
A DMFT score of 0 means no teeth are decayed, missing due to caries, or filled, indicating no caries experience in the permanent dentition.
Question 5: Which organization publishes Healthy People goals related to oral health in the United States?
- American Dental Association (ADA)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (Correct answer)
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Correct answer: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) publishes the Healthy People initiative, which includes measurable oral health objectives for the nation every 10 years.
Question 6: Which disparity in oral health is consistently documented across US populations?
- Higher caries rates in suburban populations
- Greater untreated dental caries in low-income and racial/ethnic minority groups (Correct answer)
- Higher rates of fluorosis in urban water supplies
- More periodontal disease in young adults vs. elderly
Correct answer: Greater untreated dental caries in low-income and racial/ethnic minority groups
Research consistently shows that low-income children, Black, Hispanic, and Native American populations experience higher rates of untreated dental caries due to barriers in access to care.
NDHCE Community Oral Health 1
Which federal program provides dental care coverage for children from low-income families in the United States?