Innovative Programs Aim to Prevent Premature Births
by Candi Helseth, Rural Monitor Newsletter
Having lost four babies since her son was born eight years ago, April McFadden successfully carried Michael, now three, to full term and is currently in the third trimester of another pregnancy. McFadden gives credit to Best Babies, a program begun in 2006 to reduce preterm births in four rural southern Georgia counties designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Read the rest of this article on the Rural Assistance Center website.
Finding New Ways to Meet Oral Health Needs in Rural Areas
by Candi Helseth
Teddy Tooth, mascot for the Early Smiles oral health program, has become a familiar figure in Storm Lake, Iowa, where he visits local schools and marches in parades.Nationwide dentist shortages are prompting rural providers to look for new ways to meet oral health needs. Residents with Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency (MDFMR) have added dental clinics to their patient care regimen. In Storm Lake, Iowa, school and home health nurses are giving oral exams and fluoride treatments to children as part of a broader-based program known as Early Smiles.
Read the rest of this article on the Rural Assistance Center website.
