LESSON PLAN

Target Population: Newborns (Birth-11 months) Location: Joplin City WIC Office
(On average, 2,400 newborns receive benefits per month) WIC: (417) 623-1928

Presenters: Presentation Date: February 23, 2024

Emmy Drouin: (417) 529-5140
Lillie Jones: (417) 388-1464
Shayla McKinzie: (417) 850-1038

List 3-5 characteristics of your target population. You may find this on-line or ask the sponsor of the
group to which you will be presenting.

1. Mixed races; 1/3 Hispanic; 2/3 Caucasian/White

2. Low to moderate income and socio-economic level

3. Parents of newborns; mothers typically in WIC program

4. 8th – 12th grade reading level

5. The attitude of the group is mixed. Some are very open and receptive to the information that they
are given. Some parents are not as receptive due to having experienced the information in the
WIC program previously.

List the information you have gathered from your needs assessment (It is not necessary to have ten
items…The numbers are just to help you make your list)

1. Most patients seen at the WIC office have a lack of education when it comes to oral health (Low
dental health IQ).

2. Patients often have Medicaid insurance as well. About 75% of the patients at WIC have
Medicaid, while the other 25% are uninsured.

3. Two of the biggest barriers to receiving health care for this demographic are means of
transportation and a language barrier.

4. Parents are typically more receptive to education earlier in the program when hearing information
for the first time. Certain cultures, ethnic groups, and beliefs do impact oral health care of this
population group. There are hierarchy levels within the family that first-time mothers follow,
such as following their mother’s instruction. Personal beliefs hinder proper education regarding
oral health care since many mothers follow the teachings of their parents rather than what WIC
offers them.

5. There are no current oral health programs through the WIC office; however, they do send home
toothbrushes at 6 months old and give basic information to parents on how to care for their
newborn's oral health.

6. WIC focuses more on prevention and education for parents of newborns.

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 7. WIC provides nutritional education because supplemental foods are given to patients.

What is the GOAL for the program?

Educate the WIC staff on how to best train parents or guardians on how to care for their
newborn’s oral health.

Write one to three specific learning objectives for your presentation.

Each learning objective should include a target group, a condition, and a measurement. Be sure to use
measurable verbs and clear professional language.

1. Educate the WIC staff about the transmission of oral microbes to the newborn and how it can
affect their oral cavity. The WIC staff will be able to explain how oral microbes are transmitted
into the newborn’s oral cavity and how the parents/guardians can prevent said transmission.
a. The domain of the objective is cognitive. The method of teaching will be through a verbal
and visual presentation. We will have a PowerPoint presentation that we will go
over/refer to as we explain the information regarding each objective. We will also have a
short video that shows the primary way of transferring oral microbes into the newborn’s
oral cavity.
b. The rationale for using a verbal and visual method is that many people learn from a visual
or spoken route of education. By presenting both methods to the audience, they will be
more likely to learn and remember the information we shared with them.

2. Inform the WIC staff of normal vs abnormal oral anatomy so that they may properly educate
parents/guardians of newborns on how to care for their oral health. The WIC staff will be able to
recognize/identify abnormal oral anatomy such as a frenal pull or ankyloglossia.
a. The domain of the objective is cognitive. The method of teaching will be through a verbal
and visual presentation. We will have a PowerPoint presentation that we will go
over/refer to as we explain the information regarding each objective. The PowerPoint
presentation will also contain various pictures that depict normal vs abnormal oral
features side by side so that the audience can distinguish what to look for when assessing
the newborn’s oral cavity with the parents.
b. The rationale for using a verbal and visual method is that many people learn from a visual
or spoken route of education. By presenting both methods to the audience, they will be
more likely to learn and remember the information we shared with them.

3. Inform the WIC staff on how to care for newborn oral health so that they can accurately educate
parents/guardians. The WIC staff will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how to clean a
newborn’s oral cavity and what types of baby products are best for the oral cavity.
a. The domain of the objective is cognitive. The method of teaching will be through a verbal
and visual/demonstrative presentation. We will have a PowerPoint presentation that we
will go over/refer to as we explain the information regarding each objective. We will also
be demonstrating how to identify the best products that promote a newborn’s oral health
and how to properly clean the infant’s gingiva and teeth. We may even have the audience
demonstrate these techniques back to us so that we can ensure they learned them
correctly.
b. The rationale for using a verbal and visual/demonstrative method is that many people
learn from a visual or spoken route of education. By presenting both methods to the

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 audience, they will be more likely to learn and remember the information we shared with
them. Hands-on experience also helps to encourage memory retention (muscle memory)
of the technique they had to learn which will make it easier to recall when demonstrating
it to their patients.

List the materials you will use: (Be sure to list where you will get these items or who is responsible to
bring them)

Product, Visual Aid, Handout, Etc. Source

Orthodontic pacifier Lillie Jones: Amazon.com
Baby doll Joyce Doty: WIC office
PPT/Pamphlets Emmy Drouin, Lillie Jones, & Shayla
(figure 46-4 p. 793) McKinzie: Wilkins’ Boyd and
references from assessment
report/lesson plan
Video of mother and infant sharing a pacifier Lillie Jones: Youtube
Candidiasis picture Emmy Drouin, Lillie Jones, & Shayla
McKinzie: Google images
Newborn/baby rags Shayla McKinzie: Walmart
Infant's toothbrush & silicone finger brush Lillie Jones: Amazon.com
Small flashlight Shayla McKinzie or Emmy Drouin:
Personal possession
Chair for demonstrating oral health techniques Joyce Doty: WIC office

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FIVE STEP LESSON PLAN

Topic: Newborn Oral Health Care

Title: Newborn Oral Health Care
Time for Total Lesson: 15 minutes

Preparation

Time Needed: 1-2 minutes

List what you must do to prepare yourself and the room before the presentation

 Get a computer set up with the PowerPoint presentation and have it connected to WIC’s
projector.
 Have note cards out and organized in the correct order of who presents what information.
 Set a chair out in the center of the room for a demonstration of how to properly hold the newborn
when assessing their oral cavity and cleaning their gingiva.
 Set out a flashlight, rag, orthodontic pacifier, infant toothbrush/silicone finger brush, and a baby
doll for the learning activities regarding newborn oral health care.
 Pass out pamphlets to the audience.
 Pass out the pre-test to the audience and collect it before beginning the presentation.

Introduction

Time Needed: 2 minutes

Describe a technique/s you will use to gain the attention of the group and establish interest.

Hand out the pamphlets and a multiple-choice pre-test to the audience to collect evaluation data and to get
them focused on the topic at hand which is newborn oral health care. Collect pre-tests before beginning
the official introduction and once the room setup is complete. The pre-test will help us understand the
current oral health education level of the WIC staff and if they have enough knowledge to properly
educate their patients about newborn oral health care. We will also be appealing to Maslow’s
physiological and safety/security needs of the patients the audience treats since these are two of the basic
needs the patients at WIC need to maintain and improve their infants' lives (via oral health). We will
motivate the audience on this level by teaching, demonstrating, and questioning them on general oral
health education required for proper care of a newborn’s oral health.

Introduce ourselves optimistically to boost the morale in the room and gain the audience’s attention:
Emotional appeal.

“Hello, everyone! We are Dental Hygiene students from MSSU. We are here to talk about oral health care
for newborns up to 11 months old. To start, we have a video to show you, and we would like to hear your
thoughts on it.”

Show a fun/cute video to grab the audience’s attention: Visual aid.

Show the video of a parent putting their newborn’s pacifier in their own mouth and giving it back to the
infant. Ask the audience if this is appropriate and why or why not?

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“Unfortunately, this is common for a parent or guardian to share their oral germs with their baby. In
today’s presentation, one thing we will discuss is how that practice could risk harm to baby and how to
practice prevention instead.”

Presenting the Objectives

Time Needed: 2 minutes

At this point you will state the learning objectives for the presentation. List the objectives below in the
manner in which they will be presented to the group. (Note, these are the same objectives that you listed
on the previous page, however, they are now put into a language appropriate to the audience)

“Today we will be:………”

1. Today we will be explaining the transmission of microbes into the newborn’s oral cavity and the
possible oral side effects so that you, as WIC staff, may be able to properly educate on
prevention.

2. Next, we will be covering a few normal vs abnormal newborn oral anatomy depictions so that
you may better educate or refer parents/guardians on when to seek professional help.

3. Lastly and in line with our goal, we want to share how to best care for newborn oral health and
what products to look for so that you can accurately educate parents/guardians on the prevention
of newborn oral health problems.

Instruction/Information/Activities

Time Needed: 8 minutes

Main Point Visual Aid/Activity Presenter Objective #
Main Point: Transmission of microbials and their Video of mother sharing Shayla 1
possible effects within the newborn oral cavity pacifier with baby McKinzie
Details (attention grabber)
1. Introduction of bacteria, etc. into newborn oral
cavity - (ex. S. mutans causing caries) Pics of thrush, baby
2. Fungal infection (ex. Oral candidiasis) bottle caries
3. Prevention of microbial transmission into
newborn oral cavity.

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 Main Point: Awareness of normal vs abnormal Pics of natal teeth, Emmy 2
newborn oral anatomy tongue tie, and lip/cleft Drouin
Details palate
1. Natal/neonatal teeth (discuss when normal
eruption occurs) Refer to dentist and/or
2. Tongue tie/ankyloglossia (how this can affect doctor when there are
baby; refer) anomalies
3. Cleft lip and/or palate (how this can affect baby;
refer)
Main Point: Caring for newborn oral health Picture of and an actual Lillie Jones 3
Details orthodontic nipple vs
1. Orthodontic nipple on bottle or pacifier (in regular and its impact on
between feedings if needed) baby’s oral health
2. Select the appropriate bulb size for the baby’s
mouth
3. Teething and aids (cool damp rag)
4. Training cups to help baby learn how to sip
rather than only sucking.

Main Point: Caring for newborn oral health cont. Demonstration of Shayla 3
Details cleaning baby’s mouth Emmy
1. Parents should avoid frequently giving sugary with a damp, clean rag
foods or beverages to babies to lessen the risk of Lillie
tooth decay or baby bottle caries.
2. First visit to a dentist's office upon eruption of Picture of and an actual
first teeth finger brush and/or baby
3. Using a rag for unerupted teeth toothbrush with smear of
4. Brushing erupted teeth (how much toothpaste to toothpaste exemplified
use, what brushing technique and type of
toothbrush)

Closure

Time Needed: 2 minutes

List the main points that you want to make in closing this presentation. Remember to be reflective of your
objectives.

Review of main points:

1. Infants’ oral cavities can be filled with S. mutans, which is the primary bacteria present in tooth
decay, when the parent shares their saliva with the infant through sharing utensils, cleaning the
pacifier with their mouth, or kissing the baby on the mouth.
2. Thrush is a common fungal infection seen in many infants due to prolonged breast or bottle-
feeding, putting the baby to sleep with the bottle in their mouths, and not properly
rinsing/cleaning the infant’s oral cavity after every feeding period.
3. Newborns can be born with abnormal oral anatomy such as natal/neonatal teeth, tongue tie, lip tie

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 (frenal pull), and/or cleft lip/palate. These deviations from normal anatomy may not affect the
baby greatly, but they can lead to feeding issues, nutritional deficiencies if they aren’t able to
suckle properly, speaking difficulty, gingival sensitivity, and gingival recession. If any
abnormalities with the infant’s oral anatomy occur, it is best to refer to a dental surgeon to see if
action should be taken to correct the deviations.
4. Educating the parents/guardians on how to identify and what baby products are best for their
developing child will help them ensure that the baby’s oral health won’t be hindered by the
wrong pacifiers, baby bottles, or sippy cups.
5. Cleaning the infant’s gums with a damp, soft rag after every meal is required to prevent fungal
infections. Once the baby’s first teeth have erupted (around 6 months of age), parents/guardians
should be taught how to clean their infant’s teeth twice daily with a soft-bristled, infant-to-child-
sized toothbrush with a rice-sized piece of toothpaste on it.
6. Parents/guardians should be encouraged to establish a dental home for their infant once their first
tooth erupts and no later than 1-year of age.
7. Educating the parents/guardians about general guidelines for maintaining a newborn’s oral health
and how to prevent adverse oral health events from occurring are key to ensuring the safety of the
infant’s oral health.

Summary narrative: “We hope that you were able to learn something new about newborn oral health care
and education today. These tips and tricks are simple yet very beneficial for parents/guardians of
newborns. The main points we want to make sure everyone takes away are how to prevent the
transmission of oral bacteria to newborns, how to identify what abnormal vs. normal oral anatomy is, and
how to properly clean and care for a newborn’s oral cavity. We also want to make sure parents/guardians
are able to access the care and information they need. Every patient will receive a take home guide for
newborn oral care and a list of local dental offices will be provided. These steps will help us reach our
goal of educating parents and guardians on how to care for their newborn’s oral health.”

References

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Admin. (2022, December 30). Should I Use Fluoride Toothpaste for Kids. Pediatric Dentistry.

https://sorensonpediatricdentistry.com/should-i-use-fluoride-toothpaste-for-kids/.

Boyd, L. D., & Mallonee, L. F. (2023). Wilkins’ Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist. Jones

& Bartlett Learning.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.-b). My Water’s Fluoride. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention.

https://nccd.cdc.gov/DOH_MWF/Default/WaterSystemList.aspx.

Cleft Hospital Pakistan Cleft Lip Surgery & Palate Treatment. Cleft Hospital. (2023, September

12). https://clefthospital.com/.

Damle, S. G., Yadav, R., Garg, S., Dhindsa, A., Beniwal, V., Loomba, A., & Chatterjee, S.

(2016, August). Transmission of Mutans Streptococci in Mother-Child Pairs. The Indian

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Eriksen, N. (2023, September 18). Can a Pacifier be Orthodontic-Approved?. BIBS.

https://bibsworld.com/blogs/guides/can-a-pacifier-be-orthodontic-approved.

Fathi, H. (2020, August 26). Washcloth Teething Knots. Baby Play Hacks.

https://www.babyplayhacks.com/play-hacks/washcloth-teething-knots.

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Gillcrist, J. A., Brumley, D. E., & Blackford, J. U. (2001). Community socioeconomic status and

children's dental health. Journal of the American Dental Association (1939), 132(2), 216–

222. https://doi.org/10.14219/jada.archive.2001.0158.

Harris, K. (2023, July 5). 8 Best Baby and Toddler Toothbrushes. 8 Best Baby and Toddler

Toothbrushes. https://www.thebump.com/a/best-baby-toddler-toothbrushes.

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Holt, K. & Brazel, R. (2009). A Healthy Smile for Your Baby: Tips to Keep Your Baby Healthy.

D.C., Washington; National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center. Retrieved

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Howenstein, J. (2016, March 15). Dental Timeline for a Growing Child. Dunes Dental 4 Kids.

https://www.dunesdental4kids.com/dr-howensteins-blog/2016/3/11/hywpsjk2j7vttfriqiger

njxyer4au.

Jeddi, A. (2018, March 31). Baby giving pacifier to crying mom (UN bébé donne sa tétine à sa

mère qui pleure). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0nFE5QSU5o.

Laser Tongue Tie Procedure - Hoffman Dental Care. Laser Tongue Tie Procedure - Hoffman

Dental Care. (2022, November 2). https://www.macombsmiles.com/tongue-tie-

treatment/.

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360-Sippy-Cup-2-fl-oz/446901021?from=%2Fsearch.

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Nuk Learner Cup, 5 oz Soft Spout Sippy Cup, 1 pack, 6+ months, neutral. Walmart.com. (n.d.-c).

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Facility: _______________ Date: _______________

Pre-Test: Newborn Oral Health Care

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1. How often should you wipe out your newborn’s mouth?

a. Once a day

b. After every feeding

c. Twice a day

d. When their teeth have come in

2. What is a sign that your newborn may have thrush?

a. A large purple area on the tongue

b. Bleeding gums

c. A milky white patch in the mouth

d. Newborns cannot contract thrush

3. When should an infant be taken to their first dental appointment?

a. 2 years of age

b. 1 month after they are born

c. After their first tooth erupts

d. 5 years of age

4. What liquid is the best choice for an infant aged 6+ months to be given before bed?

a. Formula or breastmilk

b. 100% juice

c. Fluoridated water

d. Sweetened milk

5. Which of the following is NOT a method of transmitting oral bacteria from the parent to

the infant?

a. Kissing the baby on the mouth

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b. Eating off the same spoon

c. Blowing off the pacifier to clean it

d. Cleaning the pacifier in warm, soapy water before giving it back to baby

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