Last Wednesday April 2, 2014 at Hispanicize 2014 #hispz14, Dr. Sarita Arteaga, President of Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) Foundation, and Dr. Ivan Lugo, former HDA President and currently with @CrestLatino participated at a panel about Hispanics and Oral Health. The panel was moderated by Ana Patricia Gonzalez from Despierta America at Univision.

The panelists discussed the importance of Oral Health to Hispanic Families. Among some of the stats shared as a result of a recent survey, this is one that stood up for me:

65% of Hispanics vs. 72% of the General population still remain less likely to rate their overall oral health as “excellent” or “good”

Hispanics and oral health: facts

A Talented Panel: Two Distinguished Doctors, Former HDA Presidents, and HDA Foundation Board of Directors

The insightful session lasted 50 minutes. Here’s a 1-min video footage to get a glimpse/taste. (Check Hispanicize video to watch the entire discussion)

Can you repeat that question, please?

And here’s the audience paying attention to tips on Oral Health and participating on the FACT or MYTH exercise….

Aprendiendo de #saludoral con nuestra #FamiliaCrest #Hispz14 pic.twitter.com/wi5ApCDfSl

— Crest Latino (@CrestLatino) April 2, 2014

NEW PHRASE OF THE DAY : QUOTABLE

Si te portas bien, te llevo al dentista 🙂

Racial and Ethnic Specific Oral Health Data: Hispanics

• Among preschool Hispanic children, early childhood caries is a particular concern.
• National survey data suggest that a higher proportion of Mexican American children ages 12 to 23 months may experience dental caries than other race/ethnicity groups.
• Mexican American children aged 2 to 4 are more likely to have experienced dental caries in their primary teeth, have on average more decayed and filled tooth surfaces, and have more untreated disease than either White or African American children.
• Mexican American children aged 2 to 5 years-especially those from lower-income households-were more likely than their African American and White counterparts to have one or more decayed primary teeth.
• A national survey found that employed Hispanic adults were twice as likely to have untreated dental caries as Whites.

– Based on Healthy People 2010 baseline data: http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=209#sthash.AfTJ8YKy.dpuf