A Formative Assessment of Social Determinants of Health Related to Early Childhood Caries in Two American Indian Communities

= 57) were conducted with caregivers and providers to understand the social and community contexts in which oral health behaviors and practices occur from the perspective of the caregivers, oral health care providers, and social service providers in the communities. The analysis was informed by the social determinants of health framework. The key social determinants of pediatric oral health relevant to our study communities included limited access to: oral health promoting nutritious foods, transportation for oral health appointments, and pediatric specialty care. This formative assessment provided locally and contextually relevant information to shape the development of an oral health clinical trial intervention to address early childhood caries in these two communities.