Rural Health Information Hub Latest News

Campaign for Dental Health Releases New Media

The Campaign for Dental Health released several new memes and video snips on their website. Four new memes include messages on brushing, drinking water, mouth-body connection, and oral health integration. Each carries the 75th anniversary of community water fluoridation medallion. Five new video snips feature three pediatricians emphasizing the benefits of drinking water with fluoride and the importance of oral health for the entire family, especially those most affected by dental disease.

Click here to view the memes and videos.

Oral Health Value-Based Care: The FQHC Story

The DentaQuest Partnership and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) published a new white paper, “Oral Health Value-Based Care: The Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Story.” FQHCs are remaking modern health care with an integrated oral health care approach. FQHCs and their dental programs are using telehealth and implementing value-based tools for prevention, creating better disease management, and positive patient oral health and overall health outcomes.

Click here to read the white paper.

COVID-19 & Oral Health: Resource for School Nurses

During the current pandemic, school nurses may be the only avenue for assuring that children receive dental screenings/referrals. The Association and State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and the National Association of School Nurses have collaborated to develop a resource to assist with doing so. Please share the below resource with any school nurses you may work with or know.

Click here to download the resource.

Report Focuses on Networks for Oral Health Integration

The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) produced a report that provides information about the “Networks for Oral Health Integration Within the Maternal and Child Health Safety Net” projects funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The goal of the 5-year initiative is to improve access to and utilization of comprehensive, high-quality oral health care in community health centers for target populations (i.e., pregnant women, infants and children from birth to age 40 months, children ages 6–11) at high risk for oral disease.

Click here to read the report.

USPHS Chief Dental Officer Newsletter & Healthy People 2030

The 51st issue of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Chief Dental Officer Newsletter features an article about the launch of Healthy People 2030. There is information and links to all of the Healthy People 2030 objectives related to oral health. The newsletter also includes COVID-related news bites, non-COVID news, a list of upcoming events, and information about Immunization Awareness Month.

Click here to read the issue.

Call to Action for All Health Advocates

The Families USA Health Action Network released, “Now is the Time for Oral Health Coverage: A Call to Action for All Health Advocates.” The publication covers how achieving a healthier, stronger, more equitable nation requires prioritizing comprehensive health coverage that includes oral health care. They are asking the public to submit personal stories about the importance of oral health care or how a lack of access to oral health care has affecting them.

Click here to read the publication.
Click here to submit a personal story.

Report: Parents Feel Comfortable Discussing HPV with Dentists

The ADA News reported a new study found that “parents feel comfortable having discussions about human papillomavirus (HPV) and its vaccine in the dental setting.” A survey of 208 parents of adolescents aged 9-17 found 66.4% of the parents felt dentists were qualified to counsel about HPV and 72.6% felt they were qualified to counsel about the vaccination. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Click here for more information.