New from OHRC

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

Tip Sheet on Oral Health During Pregnancy in New Languages

Tips for Good Oral Health During Pregnancy is now available in two new languages: Haitian Creole and Moldovan Romanian.

The tip sheet provides information, written in simple language, for pregnant women about taking care of their own and their infant's oral health. Topics include getting oral health care, practicing good oral hygiene, eating healthy foods, practicing other healthy behaviors, and what to do after the infant is born. A list of helpful resources is included. The tip sheet may be forwarded, photocopied, or printed in bulk. To adapt or excerpt content, please contact us for permission.

In addition to the two new languages, the tip sheet is available in Arabic, Chinese, Chuukese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Samoan, Spanish, and Vietnamese. 

Find more tools excerpted from Oral Health Care During Pregnancy: A National Consensus Statement on our website, including individual sections of the consensus statement and Promoting Oral Health During Pregnancy: Update on Activities, a periodic publication highlighting activities across the country.

Journal of Dental Hygiene Focuses on Integration

OHRC's Katy Battani authored the guest editorial, Making Progress in Medical Dental Integration, in the June issue of the Journal of Dental Hygiene that focuses on medical dental integration.

OHRC Awarded MCHB Funding; Additional Awards in Eight States

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), has awarded 4-year cooperative agreements for the Maternal and Child Health—Improving Oral Health Integration (IOHI) consortium and eight demonstration projects. The purpose of the awards is to advance the integration of preventive oral health care into primary care for the maternal and child health (MCH) population by increasing the adoption and implementation of policies and practices. The awards begin July 1, 2024.

Maternal and Child Health—Improving Oral Health Integration (IOHI) Consortium

Funding was awarded to the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) working in partnership with the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, for the consortium to (1) provide targeted technical assistance (TA) to the IOHI learning collaborative (LC) project and the Title V Oral Health Performance LC projects and (2) provide universal TA to professionals serving the MCH population in all states and territories.
 
Eight Awards for Maternal and Child Health—Improving Oral Health Integration (IOHI) Demonstration Projects
Funding was also awarded to seven states and one territory to participate as demonstration projects. The projects will aim to improve access to preventive oral health care integrated into primary care services for the MCH population at high risk for poor oral health. The projects will implement a two- tier, state and local, improvement approach that will address three core functions: (1) policy and practice; (2) education and outreach; and (3) data, analysis, and evaluation.

States/Territory and applicants

• Connecticut: Moses Weitzman Health System
• Colorado: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
• Montana: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
• Puerto Rico: University of Puerto Rico
• South Carolina: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
• Texas: Texas Department of State Health Services
• New York: Health Center Network of New York
• Wisconsin: Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin

Oral Health Social Media Messages

Sharing on social media is a great way to connect with parents and promote good oral health practices for them and their children. These messages focus on three themes: toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day; replacing toothbrushes every three months; and storing toothbrushes properly.

In the News

Association for Dental Safety is OSAP, Rebranded

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP), the leading organization dedicated to ensuring every dental visit is a safe visit, has a new name: Association for Dental Safety (ADS). This decision to refresh its brand identity better reflects its values, vision, and commitment to members and stakeholders. It encapsulates the essence of the organization's mission and aspirations for the future.

• ADS invites proposals for program spotlights and research to present at the 2025 Antibiotic Stewardship Summit in Atlanta, GA, on February 2. Submit by October 1.
• On-demand recordings from the 2024 ADS Annual Conference are now available.

Call for Applications for NNOHA Leadership Institute

The National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) is accepting applications for the next cohort of the NNOHA Oral Health Leadership Institute (NOHLI). The institute is a year-long, in-person and online training that provides core knowledge and competencies that health center/safety net oral health leaders need to develop as effective managers, directors, and advocates for oral health and their communities. NOHLI addresses the need for training and technical assistance that is specific to oral health leaders practicing in Federally Qualified Health Centers/safety-net clinics. The core NOHLI curriculum was developed from NNOHA’s Operations Manual for Health Center Oral Health Programs. Read more and find application information online. Applications are due July 23, 2024.

• Registration is open for NNOHA's Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD, September 22–25.

Call for Papers: Oral Health Equity Research Topic

Oral health will be spotlighted as a pivotal component of public health in the United States with submissions for Oral Health Strategies to Achieve Health Equity and Improve Public Health in the U.S., examining how oral health interventions can enhance public health practices and outcomes. Guest editors Carla Shoff and Natalia Chalmers in collaboration with Frontiers aim to use this opportunity to showcase the latest advancements and thought leadership in the field. Papers may present research findings, case studies, theoretical analyses, or reviews. They should offer evidence-based, data-driven insights that advance our understanding of oral health's critical role in public health. To participate, please submit a manuscript summary for consideration and a paper before the deadline on November 29, 2024.

CDC Unveils New Website

Explore the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) information about oral health conditions and diseases, prevention steps and strategies, and resources to support communicating about the importance of oral health. The new CDC.gov features refreshed content and is easier to use. Experience enhanced usability, improved content, and reduced clutter.
 

CMS Awards School-Based Services Grants to 18 States

Eighteen states are recipients of the grants for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Implementation, Enhancement, and Expansion of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) School-Based Services. States will use these funds to support their efforts to connect millions more children to critical health care services, especially mental health services, at school with each receiving up to $2.5 million over 3 years for the implementation, enhancement, and expansion of the use of school-based health services through Medicaid and CHIP.
 

CMS Funding Opportunity for Medicaid Agencies

This isn't a funding opportunity for state oral health programs, but it might be an opportunity to reach out to your Medicaid agency to inquire, support, partner, suggest, and connect to be involved in a 10-year, $17M award. Applications for the Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model are due in September. The TMaH Model’s primary focus is improving health outcomes for mothers and their infants who are enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. Under TMaH, selected state Medicaid agencies will receive targeted technical support with a goal of developing a whole- person approach to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. The TMaH Model will foster an environment where mothers and their infants feel safe and supported throughout their pregnancy and postpartum. TMaH supports states to provide mothers and their infants with access to care and resources to meet their physical health, mental health, and social needs.

The Alert is a monthly e-mail that compiles recent journal articles and other resources and upcoming conferences and webinars to inform efforts to integrate oral health care and primary care for pregnant women, infants, children, and adolescents. When you subscribe to the Café, you receive the Alert and messages about the webinars.

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This resource was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an annual award totaling $1,325,000 with no funding from nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, or endorsement by, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. government. For more information, please visit www.HRSA.gov.

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