In this Share & Learn, the California Oral Health Technical Assistance Center (COHTAC) held an interactive session to share key updates relevant to the work of local oral health programs (LOHPs). The COHTAC team discussed COHTAC’s work over the next 2 years and walked through the COHTAC website, highlighting essential resources for LOHPs, including a deeper dive into the Oral Health Literacy Toolkit by Health Research for Action. We heard from Smile, California about ways in which LOHPs can collaborate with their teams and services offered through Medi-Cal Dental to connect members to care. We announced resources that LOHPs shared with each other at the two in-person convenings we held earlier this year. 

Webinar objectives: 

1. Understand what to expect from COHTAC in the next two years and how to access, navigate, and find resources on the COHTAC website.    

2. Identify partnership opportunities and understand how to access key resources in collaboration with Smile, California. 

3. Encourage feedback, suggestions, and collaborative problem-solving and networking among LOHPs in facilitated discussions. 

Speaker bios

Slides

Recording (1:23:05)

Links and resources shared:

• Bakersfield Convening Ideas/Tips
• Sacramento Convening Ideas/Tips
• ADA Fluoridation Facts
• CDA Fluoridation Fact Sheet
• First 5 Parent Kid Ordering
• California Health Interview Survey Presentation
• PLACES 2024 Data
• COHTAC LinkedIn
• COHTAC Facebook
• LOHP Slack Workspace

Q&A: 

COHTAC/OOH

1. Will there be an in-person project director's meeting this year? OOH will be hosting a Project Director's Meeting on March 5, 8-5:30 pm in Sacramento.
2. Will there be a COHTAC in-person convening this year? There will not be an in-person COHTAC convening this year. COHTAC will be doing all of our work virtually this year.

Smile, CA

1. Why are the FQHC dental clinics listed separately and by county instead of coming up as part of the zip code search? The fee-for-service primarily works with individual dentists and providers who own their own practice. As a federally qualified health connect, or rural health connect, sometimes the request of reimbursement is different – they are paid per encounter, and they get paid directly by Medi-Cal, so it separates the way of payment. In the Medi-Cal Dental website, we just have it as for fee-for-service providers to make it more easy and accessible for the providers that are enrolled directly with Medi-Cal Dental. The providers that still participate and render services for dental, but that request reimbursement differently are our FQHC clinics, that are listed in there. So it's just a little bit separate in there.
2. We regularly find that the provider directory is inaccurate. How do we ensure the provider director is up to date? We consistently work with providers to update their information. We request that the provider update their information as soon as they are not accepting new members. In a dental office, it can get pretty busy, and often, they may not be accepting new patients for that week, but they still want to be on our referral list because they may still want patients. It's very challenging to get the provider to provide that information as soon as possible. And so, we provide surveys to providers to update their information at least once a year, so that they can update their information. We work with providers consistently to get that information as updated as possible, but if you find that there is a provider that is not accepting new patients, then definitely let us know. One of our provider relations representatives might reach out to the provider and just confirm if they are or not, and we can go ahead and fill out the form for them and make sure that gets updated on our website. Please send us the provider information to [email protected] so we may update the referral list.
3. Are there any updates on specialty provider services? Medi-Cal Dental is actively seeking new specialty providers. If you're having difficulty locating a specialty provider, please complete the Care Coordination Referral Form to assist the member in receiving the care they need.
4. Closing the Care Coordination Referral Form loop (the form available on the Medi-Cal Dental website). Will I be notified if child completes treatment? Unfortunately, you will not be notified. It will be the member or the parents that is listed in the contact list. The care coordination team will directly contact the member to try and get that appointment set up. The parents or the member will have to contact you and confirm that, yes, they received that information. I don't see if there's a change on that at this point in time. The member is directly contacted about 24 to 48 hours after the referral is submitted. It is 3 attempts for the care coordination to try and reach the member, and 6 attempts for the dental case management.
5. Can Smile, CA help provide prints and resources? Smile, CA, can provide resources that are approved and relate to KOHA. Please put in a request through [email protected] or you can also reach out to your Smile, CA local representative for more information in the available resources.

Health Research for Action OHL Toolkit:

6. We have a general community health workers team and wondering if the oral health toolkit might be an appropriate resource for them? There are communication techniques worth reviewing if you're engaging with community members or creating materials as a community health worker. If you're working with oral health care partners, promoting the kit and raising awareness is a step toward improving community and oral health.
7.  Is there a train-the-trainer on actually how to train somebody on the kit? Has that been done before? If we are just doing outreach and not training providers, is there a campaign that already exists? We do give trainings on the toolkit that are in more detail than this Share & Learn, but haven’t had as successful result because the feedback was that there weren’t enough relationships to make the process worthwhile. The way we started looking at it is that any promotion of the kits is sufficient – the toolkits are simple and self-explanatory. COHTAC and HRA can increase coordination if HRA has training on the toolkit that is open to a broad audience. COHTAC can inform LOHPs so that they can promote it to providers.
8. What is the best way to work with the OHL toolkit? Primarily the best way to work with the OHL toolkit is to raise awareness of its existence to any oral health care organizations with whom you’ve partnered with. You could distribute or promote the patient resource with community members, given that they are available in several languages and are very simple. They are also helpful for people new to the U.S. health care system and the dental health care system.
9. Is First Five still providing kits?  Yes, all the information to download and request kits is on their site: Kit for New Parents | First 5 California Email [email protected] to order.