%0 Journal Article
%T Collaborative Pathways: Integrating Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, and General Practice in Early Dental Care
%A Ibrahim A Alawad
%A Abdullah AlHezam
%A Rakan Alsulaimani
%A Abdulaziz Alahmed
%A Mohammed Altamimi
%A Abdulrhman Alhazzaa
%A Adel Albalawi
%A Asim Alotaibi
%A Yazeed Alhabdan
%A Abdulhameed Albeshr
%A Aisha Alshaya
%A Abdulrahman Alshalan
%A Fai Aloraini
%J Annals of Dental Specialty
%@ 2347-2022
%D 2026
%V 14
%N 1
%R 10.51847/pce8e3YHjK
%P 78-83
%X Children's oral health should be prioritized during early childhood, and orthodontic treatment should be integrated into existing dental services. This review focuses on collaborative efforts between pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, and general practice, specifically looking at recent Saudi Arabian research from 2019 to 2025. Results indicate that pediatricians who integrate basic oral health assessments increase preventative dental care. Pediatricians who implement basic oral health assessments, like fluoride application and early risk assessments, have lower dental caries rates and increased preventive dental care utilization. Well-organized referral pathways allow early detection of orthodontic issues and shorten treatment waiting times. Joint training of medical and dental students enhances their readiness to collaborate and their knowledge. Integrated care models have reported more favorable outcomes, particularly for children with considerable medical or dental needs. These models still lack long-term follow-up data, evaluation of referral pathways, and data from the Middle East. This review concludes that pediatricians, dentists, and orthodontists require more collaboration to enhance practical models of care and better focus on children's oral health.
%U https://annalsofdentalspecialty.net.in/article/collaborative-pathways-integrating-pediatric-dentistry-orthodontics-and-general-practice-in-early-jf8khz8qh9dpuxq