Oral Health Outcomes for Children in Hawaii: Not Much to Smile About

Oral health has become a major topic of discussion in the State of Hawaii based on the unreasonably high rates of dental caries in children, which are almost twice the average rates for children living in the mainland. Lack of water fluoridation, absence of a state dental school and recent efforts to start rebuild the previously dismantled oral health branch at the Department of Health may be contributing to these poor oral health outcomes.