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Healthy Smile, Happy Child: partnering with Manitoba First Nations and Metis communities for better early childhood oral health

Grace Kyoon-Achan, Robert Schroth, Daniella DeMaré, Melina Sturym, Julianne Sanguins, Frances Chartrand, Rhonda Campbell, Jeanette Edwards, Josée Lavoie, Michael Moffatt

2021 Canada

Indigenous populations in Canada are disproportionately affected by early childhood caries. The Healthy Smile, Happy Child initiative utilizes a community development approach to encourage community uptake of evidence-based early childhood oral health promotion strategies. Sharing circles and focus groups elicited First Nations and Metis (Indigenous peoples of mixed Indigenous-European, primarily French, ancestry) views on the challenges of keeping children caries- free. We share participants’ experiences and viewpoints on implementation research strategies, principles and protocols that are sensitive to Indigenous community-based contexts.

First Nations, focus groups, Indigenous health, Metis, oral health promotion, sharing circles,