- Rural America Faces Growing Shortage of Eye Surgeons
- NRHA Continues Partnership to Advance Rural Oral Health
- Comments Requested on Mobile Crisis Team Services: An Implementation Toolkit Draft
- Q&A: What Are the Challenges and Opportunities of Small-Town Philanthropy?
- HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson, Joined by Co-Chair of the Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, Announces New Funding, Policy Action, and Report to Mark Landmark Year of HRSA's Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces $60 Million Investment for Adding Early Morning, Night, and Weekend Hours at Community Health Centers
- Volunteer Opportunity for HUD's Office of Housing Counseling Tribe and TDHE Certification Exam
- Who Needs Dry January More: Rural or Urban Drinkers?
- Rural Families Have 'Critical' Need for More Hospice, Respite Care
- States Help Child Care Centers Expand in Bid To Create More Slots, Lower Prices
- Rural Telehealth Sees More Policy Wins, but Only Short-Term
- Healing a Dark Past: The Long Road To Reopening Hospitals in the Rural South
- Study: Obstetrics Units in Rural Communities Declining
- Q&A: Angela Gonzales (Hopi), on New Indigenous Health Research Dashboard
- Not All Expectant Moms Can Reach a Doctor's Office. This Kentucky Clinic Travels to Them.
PHDHP Site Expansion Finalized in Pennsylvania
The Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner (PHDHP) site expansion to medical settings in Pennsylvania has been published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and is effective upon this final-form rulemaking publication January 16, 2021. Please access this link for further information.
Regional Virtual Dental Listening Sessions
The American Dental Association recently revised its code of professional conduct to include the duty to provide dental health care, or make an appropriate referral, to patients experiencing disabilities. This listening series is for dental providers who are looking to better serve patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Do you have questions about payment, treatment models, or best practices? Join the PA Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH) and Achieva, the ARC of Greater Pittsburgh, for a series of regional virtual listening sessions in January and February for dental providers and MA-enrolled Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioners (PHDHPs). You will also be able to share your thoughts, concerns and most importantly, suggestions, on how they can help providers to provide this care. The first 20 participants for each session will receive an e-gift card for $15.00 (limit one per provider). Click on the call that is accessible for your schedule. (Although listed by regions, you can register for any call.)
New Online: Dental Risk Management Tool
The Dental Toolkit, now available on the Clinical Risk Management Program website, includes resources to help risk and safety leaders protect patients and employees, ensure compliance with federal and state laws and implement and foster a culture of safety in dental settings. Key resources include:
Dental Handbook on Nutritional Counseling for Obesity Prevention
Temple University Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry in Philadelphia has developed Nutritional Counseling for Obesity Prevention (NCOP) in Children: A Handbook for the Dental Community. This handbook is an evidence-based resource that will increase the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals in childhood obesity prevention, healthy nutrition, and dietary counseling. The handbook also has a NCOP screener that can be integrated into electronic health record systems to help identify children who are at high risk for both dental caries and obesity. This useful resource for community health centers is available at no cost.
DentaQuest Partnership Releases New Oral Health Report
The DentaQuest Partnership released a report, “Public Health Dental Providers Embrace COVID-19-Related Changes.” This new report outlines how dental public health providers are taking strategic action in response to COVID-19. The report also discusses how some dental providers are preparing for long-term changes expected beyond the pandemic.
Pennsylvania Oral Health 2019 Charitable Work Tracking Survey: There’s Still Time!
PCOH is tracking the amount of free and charitable dental services provided in Pennsylvania. We are still collecting information on services provided in the calendar year 2019. Every year, thousands of dollars are spent in providing free dental care to those in need of dental services. In 2018, PCOH was able to collect data from 21 different organizations offering free services to 10,300 patients. The data collected show that over 40,400 procedures were performed free-of-charge in 2018 for a total estimated value of $5.8 million. Please help us by filling out this form to provide information about your program’s numbers in 2019. It should take 15-30 minutes to complete the questions; no questions are required, but your response will be most helpful if you can answer questions that you have numbers for.
Community Catalyst Explores Oral Health and COVID-19
Community Catalyst’s Health Policy Hub published a blog this week, “COVID-19 Tooth Loss and Oral Health Complications Underscore Importance of Maintaining, Expanding Coverage.” The blog explores possible connections between oral health and COVID-19 as well as the pandemic’s effect
on dental delivery services.
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.