F. Oral Health

Below is a summary report measuring compliance with the school immunization law, conducted in Orange County schools with kindergartens, for the last three school years. The table shows the schools with immunization rates below 85% of total enrollees. The worst offending schools with the lowest immunization rates include: EPIC Charter (28%), Journey School (53%), Capistrano Connections Academy (53%), Capo Beach Christian School (57%), Waldorf School of Orange County (58%), Prospect Elementary (64%), and Anneliese Schools (64%).

Orange County Immunization Status of Kindergarten Students by School Year

School Year

SCHOOL NAME PUB/ PRIV PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT CITY ENROLLMENT 2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019

EPIC Charter Journey School Public OC Department of Education Anaheim Public Capistrano Unified Aliso Viejo 68 -

- 28% 129 42% 49% 53%

Capistrano Connections Academy Public Capistrano Unified Capo Beach Christian School Private San Juan Capistrano 121 61% 49% 53% Capistrano Beach 28 - ≥95% 57%

Waldorf School of Orange County Private Prospect Elementary Public Orange Unified Costa Mesa Orange 33 44% 57% 58% 76 ≥98% ≥98% 64%

Anneliese Schools Private - Laguna Beach 28 - 60% 64%

Mariners Christian Private - Costa Mesa 95 88% 84% 66%

Bethany Christian Academy

Private Our Lady of Guadalupe Elementary Private Blessed Sacrament School Private Westminster La Habra Westminster 21 -

- 71% 22 91% - 73% 26 - ≥95% 73%

California Elementary Public Orange Unified Orange

Vineyard Christian School Anneliese Schools

Private Private Our Lady Queen of Angels School Private Our Lady of Fatima Academy Private Anaheim Laguna Beach Newport Beach San Clemente

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools Private - San Juan Capistrano

Kinetic Academy Harbor View Elementary Public Huntington Beach City Elementary Huntington Beach Public Newport-Mesa Unified Corona Del Mar

Hephatha Lutheran School Trinity Lutheran Christian Private Private Anaheim Anaheim

Palm Lane Elementary Charter Public Anaheim Elementary Circle View Elementary Source: www.shotsforschool.org Public Ocean View Anaheim Huntington Beach 96 94% 88% 75% 22 ≥95% - 77%

39 39

- 60% 77% ≥95% 87% 77%

41 -

- 78% 32 73% 72% 78% 50 82% 77% 82% 63 91% 87% 83% 24 - 92% 83% 30 81% 88% 83% 83 - - 84% 108 94% 96% 84%

ORAL HEALTH

Oral health is an integral part of overall health and well-being. Untreated tooth decay and gum disease are signs of poor oral health, which can cause unnecessary pain, infection and tooth loss. Largely preventable and treatable, tooth decay remains to be one of the most common chronic disease nationally. It is 5 times more common than asthma. 19 Oral Health is one of 26 Healthy People 2020 LHI with an objective that increases the proportion of children, adolescents, and adults who used the oral health care system in the past year.

The Orange County Local Oral Health Program (OC-LOHP) conducted a six-month assessment to create an Oral Health Strategic Plan for 2018-2022. Within Orange County, they found that the utilization of dental services by the Medi-Cal child population is low and varies significantly by age, with Orange County’s youngest and oldest children utilizing services at a rate lower than their counterparts. Utilization of services by Medi-Cal eligible children is higher than the California average but falls short of statewide targets.

OC-LOHP found that the primary reason for non-utilization of dental services by children 0-5 years of age, as reported by parent/guardian, was “cost” (although Medi-Cal covers all dental services) followed by “not having a

19 OC Healthier Together (2018). OC Oral Health Strategic Plan 2018-2022 [Report].

dentist/difficulty finding one” among 6-18-year-olds. From the assessment, they found that only 3% of all active dentists in Orange County are pediatric dentists.

According to County Health Rankings for Orange County, there are 110 dentists per 100,000 population which places Orange County in top 50th percentile when compared to state and national levels.20 Per American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, parents and other care providers help every child establish a dental home by 12 months of age. 21

Additionally, the CDC noted that pregnant women are more prone to gum disease and cavities which can affect the baby’s health. Within Orange County, OC-LOHP found that only half the pregnant women (50%) reported receiving any dental care during pregnancy. Low-income pregnant women in Orange County constitute an underserved population that faces barriers in utilizing dental services during pregnancy and has limited access to information about oral health practices and resources.

In addition to low-income status, disparities by race and ethnicity exist among pregnant woman. OC-LOHP found that Black and Latina women had the lowest utilization rates (39.8% and 42.4% respectively) followed by Asian women (51.6%). All non-White groups of women utilized dental services at a lower rate during pregnancy than utilization rates for White women in Orange County and utilization rates for Black and Latina women were also lower than the Orange County average (50%).

20 Conduent Healthy Communities Institute, 2017 County Health Rankings. As cited in OCHealthierTogether.org, an initiative led by HIP. Retrieved 8/2019. 21 OC Healthier Together (2018). 2018-2022 OC Oral Health Strategic Plan [Report].