- VA Announces Expansion of "Close to Me" Cancer Program as Part of the Cancer Moonshot, Bringing Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Closer to Thousands of Veterans
- Navajo Psychiatrist Bridges Gaps Between Native American Culture and Behavioral Health Care
- Biden-Harris Administration Releases National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and First-Ever Federal Action Plan
- Biden-Harris Administration Takes Historic Action to Increase Access to Quality Care, and Support to Families and Care Workers
- Biden Administration Sets Higher Staffing Mandates. Most Nursing Homes Don't Meet Them.
- Rural Jails Turn to Community Health Workers To Help the Newly Released Succeed
- Rural Communities Face Primary Care Physician Shortage
- Miles for Milk: How Student-Run Grocery Store Reshaped Rural Community's Food Access
- Native Americans Have Shorter Life Spans, and It's Not Just Due to Lack of Health Care
- Promotoras Play Essential Role in Connecting Farmworkers with Health Care in Rural NorCal
- Across the Country, Amish Populations Are on the Rise
- Using Medicaid to Address Young People's Mental Health Needs in School Settings
- Sunsets, Wildlife and Limited Care: Challenges of Aging in Place in Rural America
- City-Country Mortality Gap Widens amid Persistent Holes in Rural Health Care Access
- Tribal Environmental Impact Network
New Resources from ASTDD and DentaQuest
The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and the DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement developed a new research brief and infographic focused on access to oral health in schools. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how school-based oral health (SBOH) programs deliver dental care for children. In order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep children safe, schools have gone to virtual learning or modified schedules. This has significantly impacted SBOH programs and the ability to gain access to children who have the highest need for oral health services and thus, has required SBOH programs to reassess how they will reach these children.
Click here to read the brief.
Click here to view the infographic.
Oral Health Care During Pregnancy: A Resource Guide
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center at Georgetown University recently published the third edition of “Oral Health Care During Pregnancy: A Resource Guide.” This guide was created to help promote oral health and prevent oral disease in pregnant women, as well as to help pregnant women achieve the best possible oral health for themselves and their infants. It features links to materials on surveillance, policy, practice guidance, practice tools, professional education and training, program development, and public education.
Opportunity for Pennsylvania High Schoolers: AHEC SEARCH Academy
The Pennsylvania Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) is hosting a new program for high school students, “PA AHEC Students Exploring And Researching Careers in Healthcare (SEARCH) Academy.” The program includes a series of virtual sessions with health professionals from across the state and hands-on activities. PCOH is excited to host the dentistry session on February 9th at 6:30 p.m. Please share this information with any high school students you know interested in dental careers. Interested students should apply ASAP to get materials prior to the session.
Biden Administration Urged to Prioritize Medicare Oral Health Coverage
On Dec. 9, the Medicare Oral Health Coalition sent a letter to the Biden-Harris Transition Team to prioritize Medicare oral health coverage. Coalition members include NACHC, Families USA and AARP.
COVID Impacts on Rural Dental Care System
Access to oral health care has become a growing concern over the past decade, and the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on all aspects of the oral health care system. Patients, dental providers, educators, and regulators are being asked to rapidly adjust to the COVID-19 crisis with almost no roadmap. To provide some guidance, the Oral Health Workforce Research Center has developed a new section of their website dedicated to sharing information on immediate impacts to the dental care system as a result of COVID-19, including care delivery, financing, regulation, and education.
COVID-19 Resource: Impacts on the Dental Care System
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of the oral health care system. The Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC) has developed a new section on their website dedicated to sharing information on immediate impacts to the dental care system as a result of COVID-19. The four key domains of the website include care delivery, financing, regulation, and education.
New Resource: COVID-19 Impacts on the Dental Care System
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on all aspects of the oral health care system. The Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC) has developed a new section of their website dedicated to sharing information on immediate impacts to the dental care system as a result of COVID-19. The four key domains are care delivery, financing, regulation, and education.
DHS Issues Dental Fee Schedule Update
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Medical Assistance Programs issued a new bulletin to notify dentists of updates to the Medical Assistance (MA) Program Dental Fee Schedule. This bulletin applies to dentists enrolled in the MA Program who render services to MA beneficiaries in the fee-for-service delivery system. Dentists rendering services to MA beneficiaries in the managed care delivery system should address coding or billing related questions to the appropriate managed care organization.
Survey Shows Dentists Are Receptive to Teledentistry
Telehealth has become a path to provide safe, efficient, and accessible dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of nearly 3,000 dentists conducted by the DentaQuest Partnership reveals that the oral health care system is ready to implement teledentistry as a viable tool to deliver preventative care, not only during the pandemic, but long-term. The results can be narrowed down by teledentistry usage type, state, financial considerations, and opportunities for growth.
Parent Handouts on COVID-19 and Oral Health
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) released two new resources for parents of young children from the Office of Head Start’s National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW). The handouts provide clear messages with photos about healthy eating and oral hygiene practices at home and about changes to dental offices to promote the safety of staff and patients during COVID-19. The colorful handouts are available in English and Spanish.