Brian Novy, DDS (right), assistant professor of restorative dentistry, measures the amount of saliva taken in samples from children’s mouths. Public health student Laurita Siu records the results for each child.

SD and SPH study dental caries in Redlands children

By Heather Reifsnyder

Two School of Dentistry professors and a School of Public Health student teamed up to study and prevent the prevalence of dental caries in students at Lugonia Elementary School in Redlands.

In the photo, Brian Novy, DDS (right), assistant professor of restorative dentistry, measures the amount of saliva taken in samples from children’s mouths. Public health student Laurita Siu records the results for each child.

The team, which also includes assistant professor Holli Riter, DDS, later analyzed the saliva samples for bacterial counts. The project also included instructing the students on proper oral hygiene.

Additionally, the students received toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, a brief dental exam, and caries risk assessment. This dental research and education project is made possible by funds from the American Dental Association Foundation’s (ADAF) Samuel Harris Fund, California Dental Association, and Loma Linda University's Hulda Crooks Research and Public Health Practice Grants to help improve the oral health of children in the local community.