Date

5-2026

Document Type

Capstone Project (Open Access)

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Department

Health, Human Services and Public Policy

Major

Collaborative Health and Human Services

First Advisor

Stephanie McMurtrie

Abstract

Limited follow-up after school-based oral health screenings is a major issue for young children in Monterey County, especially for those who do not have a regular source of dental care. This project focused on improving how screening data is used to connect students to needed services. The internship was completed with the Monterey County Oral Health Program and aimed to develop a better system for tracking KOHA (Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment) data and improving follow-up care for students identified with dental needs. Key activities included analyzing screening data, entering into a tracking system, and comparing results from different schools. The results showed that many students in some schools had untreated decay, but only a few of them received follow-up care, and the numbers would continue to stay like that. On the other hand, a school that received a grant to work with a mobile dental clinic was able to help all of its students who needed it right away. These results indicate that the primary challenge lies not in identifying students requiring care, but in ensuring they are actually receiving it post-screening. This project shows how important it is to have systems for tracking and following up on data in health and human services settings in order to make it easier for those children in need to get dental care.

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