- Weathering the Storm Together: Community Resiliency Hubs Hold the Promise of Local Self-Sufficiency and Supportive Mutual Aid
- Virginia Tech Researchers Bring Rural Families into the Nation's Largest Study of Early Brain and Child Development
- Expanding Access to Cancer Care for Rural Veterans
- VA: Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting
- Scaling Rural Wellness with Clever Collaboration
- Stroudwater Associates Enhances Rural Healthcare Dashboard with New Data to Support State Rural Transformation Grant Applications
- Harvest Season Is Here: Busy Times Call for Increased Focus on Safety and Health
- HHS Dispatches More Than 70 Public Health Service Officers to Strengthen Care in Tribal Communities
- Wisconsin Rural Hospitals Team up to Form Network
- CMS Launches Landmark $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program
- American Heart Association Provides Blood Pressure Kits at Southeast Arkansas Regional Libraries to Support Rural Health
- Broadening Access to Minimally Invasive Surgery Could Narrow Rural-Urban Health Gaps
- Instead of Selling, Some Rural Hospitals Band Together To Survive
- Help Line Gives Pediatricians Crucial Mental Health Information to Help Kids, Families
- Rural Health: A Strategic Opportunity for Governors
Study Explores Job Satisfaction of Dental Hygienists in Pennsylvania
An recent study explores job satisfaction and dissatisfaction among Pennsylvania dental hygienists by identifying key workplace factors. The study found that “despite high professional pride and collegiality, dissatisfaction with income, limited advancement, and administrative barriers may contribute to instability in the broader workforce.” Addressing this dissatisfaction could help sustain the dental hygiene workforce and continue to support and improve access to care in Pennsylvania. Thanks to PCOH Stakeholder
Linda Straub-Bruce for this valuable contribution!
Report: Teledentistry Utilization by Oral Health Professionals and Policy Considerations
Teledentistry has the potential to improve access to oral health care. From a study of a Dental Services Organization (DSO) in Oregon, nearly 80,000 individuals were able to connect with an oral health professional through teledentistry. While access to care has improved, some challenges have occurred. In this article, qualitative interviews with 13 oral health professionals revealed some challenges that affected teledentistry experiences, including: variable technical skills among staff and patients; broadband limitations for patients; payer limitations on reimbursement; patient privacy considerations; staff shortages; and bottlenecks related to oral health professionals working to the top of their licenses. As we navigate implementing teledentistry in Pennsylvania, articles like these help us plan for barriers and limitations. Read the full article here.
Inspire the Next Generation of Dental Professionals
The Pennsylvania Coalition of Oral Health (PCOH) is gathering a network of volunteer dental professionals to join their Dental Careers Speakers Bureau. PCOH is contacted each year by school districts, extracurricular clubs, and other programs seeking professionals to speak to students about dental careers.
There is a particular need for providers willing to attend events in Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Cambria, Carbon, Columbia, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Pike, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Union, and Wayne counties.
If you are interested in sharing your career experiences and inspire the next generation of dental professionals, complete the intake form with PCOH.
Funding Will Support for Dental Basic Screening for Pennsylvania’s Third Grade Students
The PA Coalition for Oral Health has been awarded an Access to Care grant award from Delta Dental Community Care Foundation to fund Pennsylvania’s next dental basic screening survey for third grade students. This will be the second dental basic screening survey conducted on third grade students in Pennsylvania; the first took place during the 2021-2022 school year. The purpose is to collect data on the oral health status of children in Pennsylvania.
Click here to learn more about Delta Dental Community Care Foundation.
Click here to view the 2021-2022 report.
Medicaid Oral Health Workforce Implementation Learning Series Launched
The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) is leading the Medicaid Oral Health Workforce Implementation Learning Series with support from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. There are 11 states, including Pennsylvania, partnering on this initiative to strengthen the Medicaid oral health workforce. PCOH is one of the partners supporting this initiative in Pennsylvania. The goals of the series are to expand the oral health workforce, increase provider engagement, improve program design, encourage cross-sector collaboration, and build a pipeline.
Study Finds Key Facilitators to Expanding Dental Care in the Safety Net
The latest study from the Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC), published in the June issue of the Journal of Public Health Dentistry, examined data from over 1,000 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) from 2012 to 2021 to identify key factors that impact oral health service delivery.
The findings point to 3 major drivers of increased dental service utilization: growing the oral health workforce (especially dental hygienists and therapists), greater investment in capital development, and comprehensive Medicaid dental coverage for adults.
“Our findings provide valuable information for policymakers and healthcare leaders,” said CHWS Director Jean Moore. “Strategic investments to expand workforce capacity, infrastructure, and Medicaid dental coverage can help improve access to dental services in the safety net and reduce oral health disparities, especially in underserved communities.”
The study has received widespread media attention, including coverage in Dentistry Today, News Medical, and Medical Xpress.
Pennsylvania Board of Dentistry Amends Licensure by Endorsement
As of July 26, the Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry’s final regulation on Licensure by Endorsement is officially in effect.
This regulation creates a clear process for dentists, dental hygienists, and expanded function dental assistants (EFDAs) who are licensed in other states or jurisdictions to become licensed in Pennsylvania, as long as they meet requirements for substantial equivalency, professional competency, and good standing.
This regulation is not connected to any interstate licensure compact. Rather, it fulfills Pennsylvania’s requirement that state licensing boards issue licenses to qualified out-of-state professionals through an endorsement process. It also introduces a provisional endorsement license, which lets applicants begin practicing in Pennsylvania while they complete the remaining requirements.
Report Highlights the Hidden Costs of Tooth Decay
Cavities aren’t just a bother—tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children and adults, and it’s taking a painful toll on families across Pennsylvania. Check out the latest article from PCOH, “Tooth Decay is a Disease – And It’s Hurting Pennsylvania Families.”
National Survey Launched for Licensed Oral Health Professionals
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, the American Dental Therapy Association, and the Oral Health Workforce Research Center are asking licensed, practicing oral health professionals to take part in a survey about knowledge, beliefs, and experiences with patient care delivery. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete.
Study Focuses on Expanding Dental Care in Safety Net
A new study conducted by the Oral Health Workforce Research Center examined critical factors influencing the delivery of oral health services at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). The study evaluated trends in oral health services at 1,000 FQHCs nationwide and the results were recently published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry.