New from OHRC

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

That's a COHSII Wrap

OHRC, in partnership with the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors and the Dental Quality Alliance, is wrapping up the Consortium for Oral Health Systems Integration and Improvement (COHSII) in June.

Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau, the 3-year COHSII project provided technical assistance to members of learning collaboratives and to the larger community working to improve maternal and child oral health at the local, state, and national levels. We've also produced numerous resources, from websites and trainings to manuals, resource bulletins and resource guides, tip sheets, briefs and more. We're proud to work in collaboration with our consortium partners and so many professionals across the country, because the work we do wouldn't exist without all of your passion, expertise, and involvement. We're better together!

Selected resources from this COHSII project period:

• Capacity Inventory for Integrating Oral Health Care and Primary Care for Pregnant Women: Tool (also available in Word)
• Considerations for Identifying Pregnancies in Claims Data for Oral Health Care Quality Measurement
• Fluoride Varnish for Adults Q&A
• Integrating Oral Health Care into Primary Care: A Resource Guide
• Integrating Oral Health Evaluation into Prenatal Care: Considerations and Examples
• Networks for Oral Health Integration (NOHI) Within the Maternal and Child Health Safety Net Environmental Scan and 2023 Chartbook
• Policy Statement: Integrating Oral Health Care Into Primary Care
• Promoting Oral Health During Pregnancy: Using PRAMS to Collect Population-Based Data
• Promoting Oral Health Literacy: A Resource Guide
• Seal America: The Prevention Invention
• Snapshot of the U.S. Jurisdictions’ Activities Addressing Title V National Performance Measure 13 (Oral Health) During Fiscal Year 2022

More resources will be coming soon!
COHSII is just the latest of several federally-funded projects that OHRC has been awarded since 1996. For a look back through time, explore our Leadership and Legacy: Oral Health Milestones in Maternal and Child Health.

Brush Up on Oral Health

The Brush Up on Oral Health tip sheets provide information on current practices and practical strategies to promote good oral health for pregnant women, children, and their families. There are 42 titles in English and Spanish among categories like infant, child, and adult oral health; oral health care and promotion; fluorides; and health literacy, language and culture. 

In the News

CMS Releases Medicaid and CHIP Oral Health Initiative Expert Workgroup Report

In 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) convened an expert workgroup to provide input on strategic priorities for the next phase of the CMS oral health initiative. The workgroup report, Recommendations for Improving Oral Health Care Access, Quality, and Outcomes and Advancing Equity in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, explains how CMS could broaden the oral health initiative to work on oral health access, quality, and outcomes across the lifespan with a focus on increasing an emphasis on preventive, minimally invasive, and timely care; enhancing managed care plan engagement and accountability; and enhancing capacity for quality measurement and data analytics.

• Read more about the initiative and find archived webinars and other resources online.

North Carolina Strategic Plan

Over a span of 18 months, oral health professionals, consumers, researchers, and other experts came together to develop a consensus vision for a patient-centered future for oral health in North Carolina. The work of the Oral Health Transformation Task Force, supported by The Duke Endowment, has produced 14 recommendations focused on delivery of equitable, accessible, integrated, high-quality oral health care that are shown in the report, Transforming Oral Health Care in North Carolina.
 

Senate Committee Hearing on Oral Health

The Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Senate Committee of the U.S. Senate held a hearing on May 16 on how to make oral health care more accessible. Watch the recording of Examining the Dental Care Crisis in America: How Can We Make Dental Care More Affordable and More Available? and download witness testimony from the Academy of General Dentistry, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, Harvard Medical School, and the National Dental Association.

Award Nomination Opportunities

American Dental Association (ADA) Humanitarian Award

The ADA’s Center for Public and Populations is calling for nominations for the 2025 Humanitarian Award. Now is the time to recognize a fellow professional who has worked to improve the oral health of underserved populations in the United States. Nominations will be accepted until the nomination portal closes on September 1. The winner will be honored at SmileCon 2025 in Washington, DC. Visit the ADA Humanitarian Award website to find eligibility requirements, nomination instructions, and the online nomination portal.

American Public Health Association (APHA) John W. Knutson Distinguished Service Award in Dental Public Health

The APHA Oral Health Section is actively soliciting nominations for the 2024 John W. Knutson Distinguished Service Award in Dental Public Health. This prestigious award honors an individual who has demonstrated sustained and exemplary accomplishments in the field of dental public health via outstanding contributions, a distinguished career, demonstration of leadership, and APHA membership. To nominate a candidate, submit a curriculum vitae or biographical information and one letter of nomination. Questions and nominations should be e-mailed to the 2024 Knutson Award committee chair by June 30.

Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) Great Practice for Dental Assistants to Work Award

In honor of dental assistants and their contribution to the dental team, DANB has launched this new award. The Great Practice for Dental Assistants to Work award celebrates dental practices and clinics that prioritize dental assistant recognition, satisfaction, and professional growth. Nominate a practice or clinic by June 14.