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, 9:30-4 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. How often is the provider directory updated? Providers have the option to update their referral form at any time, and those updates are reflected in the directory once submitted. In addition, Medi-Cal Dental conducts an annual campaign to give providers the opportunity to review and update their directory information.
2. Does the care coordination team now have staff who speak Spanish or any other bilingual staff? If a Spanish-speaking representative is not available, Medi-Cal Dental will ensure that translation support is provided to facilitate care coordination services.
3. Why are the FQHC dental clinics listed separately and by county instead of coming up as part of the zip code search? FQHC dental clinics fall under the SNC requirements and are therefore listed separately by county on the Medi-Cal Dental website-Dental Clinics Serving Medi-Cal Members. This approach ensures they remain accessible to members while maintaining compliance with SNC-specific guidelines. At this time, Medi-Cal Dental does not have plans to combine the FQHC directory with the Fee-for-Service (FFS) provider directory. The current provider directory is focused specifically on FFS providers.
4. We regularly find that the provider directory is inaccurate. How do we ensure the provider director is up to date? Providers have the option to update their referral form at any time, and those updates are reflected in the directory once submitted. In addition, Medi-Cal Dental conducts an annual campaign to give providers the opportunity to review and update their directory information.
5. 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
6. Closing the Care Coordination Referral Form loop (the form available on the Medi-Cal Dental website). Will I be notified if child completes treatment? Due to HIPAA regulations, you will not receive a notification. 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 their appointment and treatment has been completed. 
7. LOHPs understand that there is no way to close the loop and find out if individuals they referred via the Care Coordination Form received appointments and completed their care. Does Smile, CA/Gainwell provide information in aggregate format that is available so that LOHPs can get a sense of the % of care coordination forms that end up in a completed appointment and completed treatment? County-specific information to help each LOHP jurisdiction fill gaps in their county to help with the upcoming needs assessment update/revision? Unfortunately, we don’t have the information available. We recommend they direct their questions to DHCS through the DHCS Medi-Cal Dental Statewide Stakeholder Meeting website: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Pages/statewidestakeholder.aspx. For any questions, comments, or concerns, they may also contact DHCS directly at: [email protected].
8. 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.
9. (9a)When should a Medi-Cal member contact the Smile, CA transportation versus their Medi-Cal managed care plan transportation? Medi-Cal members should contact transportation services based on their county and dental plan enrollment:

• Fee-for-Service Medi-Cal Dental Members: These members can call the Telephone Service Center (TSC) at 800-322-6384, available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or submit a Care Coordination Referral Form for transportation and language assistance at: https://dental.dhcs.ca.gov/Providers/Medi_Cal_Dental/CareCoordinationReferralForm.
• Sacramento County and Los Angeles County: Members enrolled in a dental managed care plan must contact their Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan (MCP) for transportation assistance. More information is available at: https://dental.dhcs.ca.gov/Providers/ProviderManagedCare.
• San Mateo County: Members enrolled with the Health Plan of San Mateo Dental should contact their dental plan directly for transportation services.
• (9b) We are specifically getting complaints from FQHC dental clinics that Medi-Cal transportation ride shares are dropping patients multiple times and members can't make appointments on time when using Medi-Cal transportation resources. 
•  Any FFS transportation-related complaints can be forwarded to: [email protected]. For more information, please visit the Transportation Services page at: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/Transportation.aspx

Health Research for Action OHL Toolkit:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.