TY  - JOUR
T1  - Collaborative Pathways: Integrating Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, and General Practice in Early Dental Care
A1  - Ibrahim A Alawad
A1  - Abdullah AlHezam
A1  - Rakan Alsulaimani
A1  - Abdulaziz Alahmed
A1  - Mohammed Altamimi
A1  - Abdulrhman Alhazzaa
A1  - Adel Albalawi
A1  - Asim Alotaibi
A1  - Yazeed Alhabdan
A1  - Abdulhameed Albeshr
A1  - Aisha Alshaya
A1  - Abdulrahman Alshalan
A1  - Fai Aloraini
JF  - Annals of Dental Specialty
JO  - Ann Dent Spec
SN  - 2347-2022
Y1  - 2026
VL  - 14
IS  - 1
DO  - 10.51847/pce8e3YHjK
SP  - 78
EP  - 83
N2  - 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.
UR  - https://annalsofdentalspecialty.net.in/article/collaborative-pathways-integrating-pediatric-dentistry-orthodontics-and-general-practice-in-early-jf8khz8qh9dpuxq
ER  -