Despite its vital importance to overall health, children's oral health is often overlooked.

NC Child sought to understand the underlying barriers to oral health access for children across the state and how access to care can be improved. Through holding focus groups and interviews with oral health providers, parents of children with Medicaid coverage, school personnel key in providing school-based oral health services, and with children themselves, we were able to understand crucial factors impacting children's oral health outcomes. Read about our findings in the full Strengthening Smiles: Child Oral Health Barriers and Opportunities in North Carolina report at the link in our bio.