Outcome evaluation of the Dental Health Outreach Mobile Experience (HOME) Coach Program.

Background: The Ohio Department of Health identified dental care as the number one unmet health need for Ohio's children. The Dental Health Outreach Mobile Experience (HOME) Coach is a pediatric mobile dental unit that seeks to meet the dental needs of underserved children in the Columbus City Schools. Purpose: The purpose was to conduct an outcome evaluation of the Dental HOME Coach Program and to compare the outcomes before (2010–2014) and after (2015–2019) the incorporation of the new Dental HOME Coach. Methods: Using a longitudinal outcome evaluation research design, the data were analyzed from 10 years of the Dental HOME Coach Program at the Ohio State University (OSU) College of Dentistry during the academic years ending in 2010–2019. Results: A total of 1063 dental students provided dental care to 26469 children in the Columbus City Schools. The top 3 performed procedures were sealants, prophylaxis, and resin composite fillings. Despite significant increases in the number of dental students providing oral health care, there were significant decreases in the number of amalgam fillings and stainless‐steel crowns from before to after the incorporation of the new Dental HOME Coach. Conclusion: The outcome evaluation revealed the Dental HOME Coach Program has been providing underserved children with oral health care that offers them a dental "home," giving dental students an array of hands‐on learning experiences that include pediatric dentistry treatments performed under the supervision of OSU faculty members, and positively impacting the problems of access to oral health care for Ohio's families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]