A Comprehensive Approach
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A Comprehensive Approach

​CAN DO employs a multi-level, conceptual model to investigate and understand the problem of oral health disparities in young children from many perspectives including those of the child, family, community, and environment over time.​

​This model helps us to:​

 

  • Identify cultural, environmental, workforce, behavioral, and biologic factors associated with health 
       disparities among racial/ethnic groups in the very diverse California environment;​
  • Enhance our ability to reach children likely to be at risk for dental caries; and​
  • Provide successful interdisciplinary interventions to prevent disease and reduce oral health
       disparities.

The conceptual model is discussed at length in a 2007 article published in the journal Pediatrics entitled "​Influences on Children's Oral Health: A Conceptual Model" (2007: ​Fisher-Owens et al).

Can DO at UCSF forms part of the Early Childhood Caries Collaborative Centers (EC4) along with the Center for Research to Evaluate and Eliminate Dental Disparities (CREEDD) at Boston University and the Center for Native Oral Health Research (CNOHR) at the University of Colorado at Denver.​

The EC4 collaborative researches ways to prevent early childhood tooth decay or caries in high risk populations ​through multiple, randomized prevention trials.It is funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) tapped UCSF to house the data coordinating center (DCC) for the EC4 Collaborative