CDA Foundation showcases CAMBRA at conference

The California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation is promoting a new oral health campaign at the CDA's 2008 Fall Scientific Session Conference this week in San Francisco.

The campaign showcases caries management by risk assessment (CAMBRA), which is designed to help dentists assess the risk for cavities and other oral health problems. CAMBRA is the first program of its kind to move dentistry toward a medical model of preventive care, according to the CDA.

"The foundation is supporting CAMBRA at the fall session because we feel this is a tremendous step in the direction of preventive care," said Jon Roth, executive director of the CDA Foundation. "In addition to regular dental checkups and cleanings, which are an essential part of any healthy oral healthcare regimen, CAMBRA provides extra resources for combating oral disease before it can occur."

Instead of only determining the presence of cavities and other irritations in the mouth, CAMBRA helps dentists assess a patient's risk for oral disease by examining numerous health and lifestyle factors as part of the regular dental checkup. Factors such as the patients' diet, previous dental work, medications, family history and saliva flow are all explored to provide unique, patient-specific guidance to prevent future disease.