Oral health is an often overlooked, but critical, component of perinatal health. National guidance affirms that dental care is safe and recommended during pregnancy. Untreated oral disease is associated with pain, infection, poor nutrition, and potential adverse birth outcomes. However, many pregnant people report that their providers discouraged or refused to provide routine dental care, or they lacked clear information on what is safe. Misconceptions, workforce silos between dentistry and perinatal care, limited access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services, and broader social determinants such as food and insurance coverage further widen oral health disparities.

The Dental Care in Pregnancy (DCP) ECHO program aims to address these challenges by equipping providers with up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines and practical tools for safe dental care in pregnancy, addressing fears and myths related to oral care during pregnancy, integrating resources for mental health, social determinants, and food access, and increasing accessibility for underserved communities. 

This initiative will implement ongoing workforce development, patient and caregiver education, and community awareness activities through eight 1-hour interactive Zoom sessions, four aimed at providers (perinatal, pediatric, and dental providers) and four sessions that are community-facing (pregnant/parenting individuals, doulas, community health workers, WIC, and community partners). The four community-facing sessions will include simultaneous Spanish interpretation and Spanish translation of materials. All sessions will be open to the entire target audience to allow for interdisciplinary learning and resource-sharing.