- 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
Rural Oral Health Needs Report Released
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health recently released a new report, “Still Searching: Meeting Oral Health Needs in Rural Settings.” The report explores why rural populations have worse oral health care access in comparison with urban populations and how providers can reduce these disparities.
Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition Announces Community Water Fluoridation Funding Opportunity
Calling all Pennsylvania water systems! PCOH has additional funds available and is requesting proposals for Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) Equipment Grants. This grant seeks to issue funds to those public water systems wishing to initiate, update or expand the practice of community water fluoridation. This funding round gives priority to community water systems that are initiating a fluoridation program. Systems may be at any stage in the initiation process. Systems which have previously received equipment grants from PCOH may apply for equipment updates and replacements, although first-time applicants will receive priority consideration. The maximum request per water system currently fluoridating or wishing to initiate fluoridating may not exceed $50,000.
Applications are due December 31 by 5 pm. Please share with your local water system or municipality.
Click here for the guidelines.
Funding for this project is through the Pennsylvania Department of Health through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Grant NU58DP006467: Using Surveillance Data and Evidence-based Interventions to Improve Oral Health Outcomes in Pennsylvania. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by CDC, HHS or the U.S. Government.
Updated Best Approaches for Early Childhood Caries Prevention and Management Released
The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) Best Practices Committee has published their updated “ASTDD Best Practice Approach Report: Early Childhood Caries Prevention and Management.” Early childhood caries is the clinical term for tooth decay that affects children younger than age six and is the most common disease in young children. This report describes a public health strategy, assesses the strength of evidence for the effectiveness of this strategy, and uses practice examples to illustrate successful and innovative implementation.
Oral Health Coalition Announces Update for Funding Opportunity for Community Water Systems
As a reminder, PCOH is requesting proposals for Community Water Fluoridation Equipment Grants. This grant seeks to issue funds to those public water systems wishing to initiate, update, or expand the practice of community water fluoridation. This funding round gives priority to community water systems that are initiating a fluoridation program. Systems may be at any stage in the initiation process. Systems which have previously received equipment grants from PCOH may apply for equipment updates and replacements, though first-time applicants will receive priority consideration. The maximum request per water system wishing to initiate or currently fluoridating has just increased and now may not exceed $50,000. If funds remain after the first application deadline, a second funding round will be announced.
Applications are due November 9th by 5pm.
Click here for the guidelines and application.
Funding for this project is through the Pennsylvania Department of Health through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Grant NU58DP006467: Using Surveillance Data and Evidence-based Interventions to Improve Oral Health Outcomes in Pennsylvania. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by CDC, HHS or the U.S. Government.
ADA Tips for Referring Patients to State QuitLines
The American Dental Association (ADA) released a toolkit that offers dentists and other dental providers guidance on referring patients to State QuitLines to support tobacco and vaping cessation efforts. Oral health providers are well-positioned to integrate tobacco cessation into routine practice, and state QuitLines make an excellent partner by providing free services to help individuals quit tobacco.
New Training Series Announced! Building Confidence in Serving People with Disabilities
Oral Health Kansas and the Pathways to Oral Health Team are partnering with the University of Kansas Medical Center and Aetna Better Health of Kansas to offer a new training series, “Accessible Oral Health 2023: Building Confidence in Serving People with Disabilities.” This Project ECHO series will help dental teams learn more about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, communication strategies, sensory awareness, as well as tools and resources for treating people with disabilities. Private practice dental teams, community health centers, and care coordinators are encouraged to attend. The five-part series is available at lunchtime and is free of charge.
The first session will be held on October 19.
New Report Released: Fluoride’s Role in Preventing Caries in Adults and Seniors
The American Dental Association (ADA) recently published a white paper, “Fluoride’s Critical Role in Preventing Caries in Adults and Seniors.” This resource was created to share data and insight about the important role of fluoride in managing the needs of adults and seniors. The paper includes the results of an exclusive ADA survey conducted to better understand the oral health risks for adults and shares approaches for dental professionals to help patients prevent dental caries between dental visits.
New Resource Guide Released: Oral Health in Schools
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) recently published “Promoting Oral Health in Schools: A Resource Guide.” This guide provides information about materials for promoting oral health in schools and features materials on data and surveillance, policy, professional education, program development, and public education.
ADA Survey Report on Teledentistry Released
A new survey report was published from the American Dental Association Clinical Evaluators Panel. The report, “Teledentistry Adoption and Applications,” found that the adoption of teledentistry grew in the past three years, in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the technology may be underused. Thirty percent of respondents said they use teledentistry, with 60% of users expressing satisfaction and noting increased access and quality of care, while 60% of those not using teledentistry said there wasn’t a need.
Title V National Performance Measure on Oral Health Resource Announced
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center recently shared a new resource, “Snapshot of the U.S. Jurisdictions’ Activities Addressing Title V National Performance Measure 13 (Oral Health) During Fiscal Year 2022.” The report presents a snapshot of jurisdictions’ experiences with implementing strategies to promote preventive dental visit for pregnant women, children, and adolescents. Challenges, accomplishments, and technical assistance needs related to each jurisdiction are discussed.