In the News
ADHA24 Call for Proposals
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is calling for proposals for their annual conference, ADHA24, July 26-28, 2024, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Offering four education tracks, ADHA24 is building an agenda of hands-on workshops, lecture sessions, and masterclasses. Learn more about submission and selection criteria; deadline is October 20, 2023.
Healthy People 2030 Webinar: Preventive Dental Visits for Low-Income Youth
This October 11 webinar, "Increasing Preventive Dental Visits for Low-Income Youth," is the latest in a series designed to draw attention to oral health objectives and strategies that can help address them. The webinar is hosted by ADHA in partnership with the National Dental Hygienists’ Association, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Healthy People 2030 federal oral health workgroup. Our own OHRC staff member Katy Battani is on the panel of speakers. To register, visit the ADHA page for the free event that is open to all regardless of ADHA membership. Non-members may have to create an account before adding the event to the cart to check out (at no cost) and receive an e-mail confirmation.
HRSA Seeks Grant Reviewers
HRSA relies on grant reviewers to select the best programs from a competitive group of applicants. Having reviewers with expertise in oral health care programing or equitable access to preventive health care greatly benefits the review process. This is also an opportunity to learn about the review process itself. Reviews are typically held remotely over a period of a few days. Non-federal participants selected as a reviewer who complete their assigned duties receive an honorarium. Registration is easy and does not commit you to serving as a reviewer. Please consider lending your expertise to these important initiatives.
National Oral Health Conference Call for Submissions
The National Oral Health Conference (NOHC) is the joint conference of the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry. The submission site is open for roundtables, posters, oral presentations, and American Association of Public Health Dentistry student merit awards for the 2024 NOHC April 15-17, 2024, in St. Louis, Missouri. Deadline is 11:45 pm ET on October 18, 2023.
North Carolina Dental Public Health Residency Application Cycle Open
The North Carolina Dental Public Health Residency Program is accepting applications until November 1, 2023 for the 2024-2025 program year. The purpose of the program is to provide practical experiences for dentists who have completed formal academic training in public health. The residency is uniquely housed within the state health department and offers residents broad exposure and experience in managing a state oral health program. Through partnerships with University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, North Carolina Medicaid, and community-based dental programs, the program also provides experiential learning opportunities to better equip residents for employment in academic, government and community-based settings. Detailed information, including admissions requirements, eligibility criteria for financial support and other frequently asked questions can be found on the program website.
Resources About Medicaid and CHIP Quality Measurement
The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 included provisions to strengthen the quality of care provided to and health outcomes of children in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), leading to the establishment of the core set of children's measures. In August, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the final rule in the Federal Register that requires annual state reporting of standardized quality measures for children in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beginning in 2024. (See the notice about mandatory reporting of other sets.) The core set of children's health care quality measures includes three oral health measures: Oral Evaluation, Dental Services; Topical Fluoride for Children; and Sealant Receipt on Permanent First Molars. The core set history table is a helpful tool about measures through 2024.
- Each year, the child and adult core sets for the Medicaid and CHIP Quality Measurement Program undergo a workgroup review. View the archive of resources from these reviews. The workgroup review of the 2025 sets recommended adding two measures:
- Oral Evaluation During Pregnancy
- Ambulatory Care Sensitive Emergency Department Visits for Non-Traumatic Dental Conditions in Adults
- Dental Quality Alliance (DQA) of the American Dental Association (ADA) has released the 2024 Adult and Pediatric User Guides and Technical Specifications, providing detailed guidance on the use and implementation of DQA quality measures.
- The ADA Health Policy Institute has released a dashboard about dental care utilization among children. Compare dental care utilization among children with public dental benefits and private dental benefits.
September is Dental Infection Control Awareness Month
It might be the end of September, but it's never too late to recognize and raise awareness of critical guidelines that oral health care professionals follow every day. This annual campaign is hosted by the Organization for Safety, Asepsis, and Prevention which shares information about the latest dental infection control guidelines to ensure that every dental visit is " The Safest Dental Visit." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Oral Health provides guidelines and recommendations to reduce transmission of infections in dental healthcare settings. |
