In 2003, Kansas received a grade of "D+" from Oral Health America in an annual rating of the state's oral health status (Oral Health America, 2003). This low grade confirmed what advocates had been saying for some time: Kansas---at several levels--is not taking seriously the oral health needs of many of its citizens. The purpose of this article is to discuss the Kansas dental health system and the role of the nurse in oral health.
The health of the mouth and oral cavity has historically been seen as something separate of medical and dental practice. This has had deleterious effects for Americans of all ages, but has especially jeopardized the oral health of the most vulnerable population groups, including young children. Nurses have the ability to incorporate oral health risk assessments, screenings, application of fluoride varnish, and oral health education into the infant, child, and adolescent health assessment and the school setting. However, nurses may need to acquire further knowledge in this area to become competent and skilled in performing the oral health assessment. Schools of nursing should include oral health assessment in their curriculum to provide the students with the information and skills needed in order to become partners in oral health upon graduation.
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