- Senator Baldwin Introduces HSHS Act to Protect Communities from Hospital Closures
- What to Know about Smoke, Heat and Health
- Tribal Partnership With UW-Madison Combines Ag Research With Indigenous Food Knowledge
- The Rewards of Working as Rural Docs
- Request for Information (RFI): Evolving the Network of the National Library of Medicine
- Dental Therapists, Who Can Fill Cavities and Check Teeth, Get the OK in More States
- Colorectal Cancer Is Rising among Younger Adults. Some States Want to Boost Awareness.
- Rural Hospitals Built During Baby Boom Now Face Baby Bust
- Food Stamps Go Further in Rural Areas — Until You Add Transportation Costs
- CMS Announces Resources and Flexibilities to Assist with the Public Health Emergency in the State of Texas
- CMS Proposes New Payments for Digital Health Under CY2025 PFS Draft Rule
- Improving Public Health by Strengthening Community Infrastructure
- Biden Harris Administration Proposes Policies to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Advance Health Equity, and Support Underserved Communities
- Nearly Half of U.S. Counties Don't Have a Single Cardiologist
- Randolph County, Ill. Turns Unused Part of Nursing Home Into State-Of-The-Art Behavioral Health Center
New Oral Resource Released on Health Literacy: A Way with Words
Health literacy is important for everyone because we all need to be able to find, understand, and use health information and services. The new handout, A Way with Words: Tips for Writing Easy-to-Understand Oral Health Materials, provides ideas about words to use and to not use, tone, voice (active vs. passive), and layout. Effectively using headings and lists is also discussed, along with the best way to write sentences and paragraphs to make the text simple and clear. How to incorporate technical words, when necessary, is explained. The handout was produced by the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC).
Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition Releases New Information Tool on Mandated School Screenings
PCOH and the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’ Association have developed an informational flyer to assist dental providers and school districts understand the changes made to school dental screenings with the passage of Act 55 of 2023 in December. This resource recognizes the language change between “examinations” and “screenings” as well as the different roles between Certified School Dental Hygienists (CSDH) and Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioners (PHDHP) in fulfilling a school’s dental health program.
New Oral Health Collaboration Targets School Nurses
PCOH is excited to announce a new partnership with Certified School Nurses and the PA Association of School Nurses and Practitioners (PASNAP). This partnership will help to educate students, families, and school professionals about the importance of oral health, including the role of community water fluoridation. By collaborating with these dedicated professionals, we will be able to provide communities with knowledge and resources to support optimal oral health for all.
New Resource Published: How Health Professionals Can Work With Head Start
This handout series offers tips on what dentists, dental hygienists, and medical professionals can do to improve the oral health needs of children and pregnant women and people enrolled in Head Start programs. It highlights the importance of oral health for school readiness and describes the oral health services offered by Head Start programs.
CareQuest Releases New Teledentistry Toolkit
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health has released Teledentistry Regulation and Policy Guidance: A Toolkit to Promote Access and Quality Care Through Teledentistry. This document identifies primary considerations for regulators and policymakers regarding teledentistry and includes key recommendations. Model teledentistry rules within the toolkit can form a basis for discussions on how to improve the regulatory climate for teledentistry moving forward.
In Pennsylvania, there is legislation pending in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee (HB1585) that would direct our State Board of Dentistry to develop guidelines for Pennsylvania.
Policy Statement Released on Integrating Oral Health into Primary Care
The ASTDD Dental Public Health policy committee is pleased to announce the availability of a new ASTDD policy statement, Integrating Oral Health into Primary Care. They extend their appreciation to Katrina Holt, MPH, MS, RD, FAND; Katy Battani, RDH, MS; and Ruth Barzel, MA, of the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center for their support and collaboration in the development of this document.
New Practice Guideline Released on on Acute Oral Pain Management
A new practice guideline developed by the American Dental Association, the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, and the Center for Integrative Global Oral Health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine details acute pain management strategies. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs taken alone or along with acetaminophen are recommended as first-line treatments for managing short-term dental pain in adults and adolescents aged 12 or older. Former PCOH Board Member/Board Chair Dr. Deborah Polk, University of Pittsburgh, was an author on this project.
New Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition Resource Published: Oral Health IS Public Health
PCOH has added a new resource to the website, “Oral Health IS Public Health.” This resource details the connection between oral health and public health, why dentists and dental students should infuse public health in their work, and how providers can advance public health. The second page includes a redesigned look for the existing “Scholarship, Loan Repayment, and Loan Forgiveness Options for Dentists and Dental Program Students.” This is intended for dental students, newly-graduated dentists, and any other dental provider looking to become more involved in public health.
Just Released! 2024 Progress Update on Pennsylvania Oral Health Plan Outcomes
PCOH recently published “2024 Progress Update on Measurable Outcomes for the Pennsylvania Oral Health Plan 2020-2030.” This resource tracks the efforts of 22 measurable outcomes across three priority areas including in the Pennsylvania Oral Health Plan 2020-2030. The resource identifies a baseline data point, the current status, and 2030 goal for each outcome. Check it out to see how Pennsylvania is doing with improving oral health!
Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition Published 2023 Impact Report
PCOH is pleased to announce the release of our 2023 Impact Report. Thank you to all of our stakeholders, partners, and funders for making this work possible. We look forward to working collaboratively to improve oral health in 2024 and beyond!