In 1998, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) applied for grant funding from the HRSA/Maternal and Child Health Bureau to:

• identify and disseminate approaches to enhance oral health access for preschool children (especially low income, minority and special needs children) and;
• address system-wide integration of dental and medical health care services delivery.

A 4-year, $400,000 Children's Health Insurance Program/Community Integrated Service System (CHIP-CISS) grant was awarded to AAPD from 1999 to 2003 and was extended through March 2004. Dr. John S. Rutkauskas, AAPD Executive Director, served as Project Director, and was supported by the Filling Gaps Task Force and Leadership Council. The Children's Dental Health Project (CDHP) served as a sub-contractor for initiatives under this grant

1. Establish a system to identify successful local partnerships, disseminate them nationally and replicate them in other localities;
2. Work with national partners representing provider, payor and parent/child programs to identify and disseminate best practices and develop pilots for new practices for local implementation;
3. Promote the standard that young children should access dental care among parents, child care providers, health services providers and payors;
4. Provide community level partners with tools to integrate oral health services with general health and child education services; and
5. Help prepare dentists and hygienists for evaluation and management of the dental needs of preschool children.

• Established national partnership to identify best practices in enhancing oral health access for preschool children.
• Developed and implemented a system, including criteria, to identify and evaluate potential best practices.
• Identified 29 potential best practices from 14 states.
• Outlined model program for oral healthcare for early childhood, including guiding principles.
• Visited 3 programs:
  • Washington State
    • ABCD Program (Mason & Thurston Counties)
    • ABCD Program (Seattle & King County)
  • North Carolina
    • Into the Mouth of Babes Program
    • Smart Smiles Program
  • Michigan
    • Healthy Kids Demonstration Program (Department of Community Health site)
    • Healthy Kids Demonstration Program (Delta Dental site)
• Produced a rich body of literature on the issues related to the medical/dental interface -- appropriate roles of primary care providers working with dentists in responding to children's oral health care needs
• Engaged national experts and more than 70 communities of interest in a critique of the Interfaces literature.
• Engaged 80 people in a dialogue at the first ever national meeting on the Interfaces topic.