Tufts Professor Works to Change the Perception of Deciduous Teeth

Cheen Loo, BDS, PhD, MPH, DMD, FAAPD, professor and chair of Pediatric Dentistry at Tufts University College of Dental Medicine in Boston, grew up needing extensive restorative care, which sparked her interest in a career in dentistry. Today, she is dedicated to ensuring that all communities are aware of the importance of preventive oral healthcare beginning at a young age. The Tufts dental clinic serves a large immigrant community, with about 40% identifying as Asian. Many of these communities only seek dental care when there is evidence of a problem. As such, children referred to the Tufts clinic often arrive with serious dental disease. Loo and her colleagues are working to improve health literacy among the patients they serve to overcome cultural ideas that baby teeth are not important, and to ensure that all young children have access to preventive dental care. Click here to read more.