Happy Holidays from all of us at the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center. We hope your holidays will be filled with peace, joy, gratitude, and laughter. We look forward to working with you in the New Year!

New from OHRC

The following news and resources are featured by the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC).

Integrating oral health care into primary care is a key strategy for improving access to oral health care and oral health, especially for vulnerable and underserved groups that face barriers to accessing the oral health care system.

What is a resource guide? It is a compilation of various types of resources from producers all over the country, plus descriptions of relevant organizations that can provide additional support for activities to promote the integration of oral health care into primary care. All the links are live and it’s easy to browse. It’s like having a topical, curated, evidence-based Google search.

The resources in this guide can help health professionals, program administrators, and others implement oral health care integration in materials, programs, and systems of care. It features descriptions and links to materials on policy, practice guidance, practice tools, professional education and training, and program development.

Get Ready for HeadStart.gov

The Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) website will be transitioning to HeadStart.gov in early 2025! This change aims to improve access to resources and streamline how you find and share information related to Head Start programs.

After the transition, any visits to the ECLKC site will automatically redirect to the new website address, HeadStart.gov, and all existing resources will still be accessible. These FAQs provide valuable insights and answers to common questions about what to expect during and after the transition.

In the News

NOHC 2025 Registration Open

Registration for the National Oral Health Conference (NOHC) has opened for this event in Orlando, Florida on April 7-9 with weekend workshops April 5-6. The conference is designed for anyone interested in engaging in collaboration to improve the oral health of the public. Early bird registration ends Jan 31, 2025.

MSDA Releases National Policy Report

The Medicaid Medicare CHIP Services Dental Association (MSDA) established the National Profile of State Medicaid and CHIP Oral Health Programs (National Profile) in 2013. Every year, MSDA surveys each state member to update one or more sections of the National Profile to produce topical annual reports. MSDA has just released the National Profile Policy Report 2024. See also the 2023 National Profile Medicaid Dental Benefits and Reimbursement Report. MSDA is the national membership organization for state Medicaid and children’s health insurance program (CHIP) oral health entities, managed care organizations, health plans, providers, and other corporate vendors that aim to advance oral health equity for all Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP beneficiaries.

More Resources to Support Use of Silver Diamine Fluoride

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released Guidance on the Application of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) in the Pediatric Medical Setting. Since AAP’s Section on Oral Health began oral health integration in 2000, pediatricians have been able to provide preventive care by performing oral health risk assessments and applying fluoride varnish. Now pediatricians can treat decay with SDF, a caries-arresting liquid medication that is easily and quickly applied to affected teeth, buying precious time until referral to professional dental care can be achieved. Visit AAP’s Oral Health Practice Tools for great resources all in one place.

Smiles for Life: A National Oral Health Curriculum has released a new SDF module. This course discusses the appropriate use of SDF in caries treatment and prevention. Clinicians will learn the clinical indications and contraindications to silver diamine fluoride application, be able to describe the application of silver diamine fluoride and follow-up care, and summarize the risks, benefits, and alternatives to silver diamine fluoride treatment.

ASTDD has updated their Silver Diamine Fluoride Fact Sheet. This fact sheet presents information about the use of SDF for managing carious lesions. Topics include what SDF is, what it does, and indications for its use; strength of evidence for the use of SDF; whether SDF is approved by the Food and Drug Administration; and contraindications for SDF use.

National Academies Workshop Recordings and Materials Available

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a public workshop November 18-19 that convened experts and key stakeholders to explore innovative practices and models for advancing oral health in the U.S. across the lifespan. The video playlist and meeting materials are available online.

Promote the New National Maternal Mental Health Hotline

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has launched the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline to provide free, confidential mental health support to pregnant people, moms, and new parents. The service is available by phone or text any time, every day. Use the promotional toolkit to share information about the hotline. The campaign has announced the first six Maternal Mental Health champions, including grocery stores, pharmacies, community organizations, and other institutions. Champions will raise awareness of the hotline at their thousands of locations across the nation, including Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You can become a hotline champion by spreading the word. Order and download 1-833-TLC-MAMA materials for free. 

Title V MCH Funding at Work: Iowa’s Healthy Habit All-Stars Video Series Features Oral Health

This series of three animated videos provides information on how to brush teeth and floss properly. It also provides information about foods and drinks that are more and less likely to cause tooth decay and discusses the importance of drinking water. Produced by Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, these fun and informative videos were supported by the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant.

• Healthy Habit All Stars: How to Brush
• Healthy Habit All Stars How to Floss
• Healthy Habit All Stars: How to Prevent Cavities