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Laying the Groundwork for a Healthier Start<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Through a research initiative beginning in 2019 led by Dr. Julie Baldwin, executive director for the Center for Community Health and Engaged Research (CHER), a team of researchers from Northern Arizona University (NAU) launched Great Beginnings for Healthy Native Smiles<\/em><\/a>. This initiative sparked a four-year community-engaged project focused on early childhood oral health in partnership with the Hopi and Crow communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR),<\/a> the initiative aligned caregivers, healthcare providers, and community health representatives to co-develop strategies aimed at reducing early childhood caries in Native communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is such a critical public health issue for American Indian and other rural communities with little access to dental health services,\u201d added Julie Baldwin, principal investigator of the project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe hope that this program will make a major difference in reducing the number of cavities that children develop before the age of three, which in turn, will lead to better overall health for children, families and communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the initial stages of the project, the team prioritized prevention, culturally meaningful education, and family engagement by combining community knowledge with public health research while engaging with many mothers and their children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This foundational work included a focus on maternal and child oral health, and training for community health representatives who directly work with mothers and children in their communities. Conversations with caregivers and insights from Community Advisory Boards guided the project\u2019s direction every step of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kristan Elwell, Assistant Clinical Professor in NAU\u2019s Department of Health Sciences, was an original contributor to this project. She brings expertise in addressing underlying social and structural determinants of health in the areas of maternal and child health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe formative aspects of the study helped us to better understand the daily lives of pregnant women and new mothers in each community,\u201d Elwell said. \u201cEarly childhood caries in young children occurs in a broader social context, and talking with community members directly is a great way to understand what is important to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the work was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project team remained committed to finding ways to support healthy childhood oral hygiene through community-relevant resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the support of the funding agency, the team successfully continued their work and completed two major deliverables: 1) a children\u2019s oral health storybook and 2) an educational video. These tools were developed in close collaboration with local partners and reflect the voices, languages, and lived experiences of the families the project aimed to support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the final year of the study, Heather Thomas, associate clinical professor and chair of NAU\u2019s Department of Dental Hygiene, was an integral part of the research team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thomas proposed the idea of creating a baby and toddler book centered on early dental care titled \u201cWelcome, Baby, Smile!\u201d<\/a> after she and the team identified the need for an engaging, culturally grounded resource that families could use at home. While children\u2019s books about dental hygiene exist, very few are created by or for Native communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The team understood that resources that resonate need <\/em>to be created through collaboration with specific Tribal communities. One way to do that is through collaborating with community health representatives (CHRs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe CHRs are really key in this project because they will be the ones working with all of the moms,\u201d Thomas said. CHRs have direct access to their community, reducing barriers to producing culturally centered content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thomas also explained how engagement through more familiar and fun avenues have stronger impacts than reports, pamphlets, or infographics typically designed to convey educational information. These insights paved the way for the team\u2019s production of a children\u2019s book tailored to the Hopi and Crow communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hopi version features colorful, original illustrations by Hopi artist Br\u00e9 Taylor, designed to reflect the lives and experiences of the Hopi families reading it. The Crow version includes culturally resonant photographs and vibrant imagery. Both books were designed for children and their parents to read together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Too often, materials distributed through schools and health providers reflect mainstream cultural assumptions, making it difficult for Native families to see themselves in the messaging. To ensure that the books reflected the language, imagery, and cultural norms of the Hopi and Crow people, the team sought ongoing input from tribal partners throughout development. Hopi CHR and Great Beginnings for Healthy Native Smiles project coordinator, Stephanie Hyeoma, helped shape the Hopi version and recorded an audiobook edition to reach a broader audience of families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked about her interest in collaborating on this project, she responded with personal insight:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor me, I wanted Hopi women to get information on how important it is to take care of their teeth, especially during their pregnancy, and especially their children\u2019s teeth,\u201d Hyeoma said. Hyeoma played an integral role in bringing the project to fruition while integrating community focused guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To amplify the project’s reach, the team collaborated with Native Reach<\/a>, a media and communications platform dedicated to promoting health and wellness among Indigenous communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CHER Communications Assistant Manager, Beck Thomas, hosted Hopi Department of Health and Human Services representatives Ruth Ami and Irv Yellow in NAU\u2019s Cline Library where they recorded the voiceover in the Hopi language to later be combined with the educational presentation to create a video resource.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/legacy.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/234\/20180728_11245844-edited-scaled.jpg\")
Listening, Learning, and Engaging with Purpose<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Extending the Vision with Carry Over Funds<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
A Simple Idea with a Big Impact<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Bringing Messages to Life on Screen<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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