The Oral Health Literacy Toolkit
These resources explain oral health literacy concepts and their benefits for providers and dental patients. It also contains roadmaps and practical tools for boosting the health literacy of dental practices.
Oral Health Literacy in Practice
This guidebook is the core of the OHL toolkit. It provides:
- An explanation of oral health literacy
- Steps for assessing your practice and implementing change at your own pace
- Strategies for communicating clearly and empowering patients
- Example scripts and templates
Practice Assessment Checklist
The checklist is a tool for assessing oral health literacy in dental practice. It helps teams quickly learn what they can do to improve communication.
What Is Teach-Back?
This booklet is an introduction to practicing teach-back, a technique where you ask patients to repeat back what you've said. It contains:
- Step-by-step instructions for practicing teach-back
- Opening lines to help you start teach-back conversations
- Example scenarios and scripts so you can practice
Going to the Dentist Patient Brochure
A 6-panel brochure that explains what to expect during a dental visit and how to prepare.
- Written for people who are new to oral healthcare
- Print on legal-size paper and fold for patients or bring to a print shop
Going to the Dentist Patient Brochure Disponible en Español aquí
Oral Health Literacy Action Plan
A printable worksheet to help you choose health literacy goals and decide how to put them into action.
Developed By
The California Department of Public Health’s Office of Oral Health works to improve the oral health, oral health equity, and wellbeing of all Californians through evidence-based or evidence-informed prevention, education, and organized community efforts.
Health Research for Action is a research center of UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, focused on working with communities to co-design solutions to systemic health barriers.
Oral Health Literacy Toolkit © 2025. Funded by the Office of Oral Health, CDPH Contract 18-10565 A01 and developed by the Health Research for Action Center at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health. This resource may not be edited or modified without the written consent of the California Department of Public Health.
Publications
Want to cite this resource? Here’s our recommended citation: Health Research for Action Center, University of California, Berkeley; Office of Oral Health, California Department of Public Health. (2021). Oral Health Literacy Toolkit. Accessed at /oral-health-literacy-toolkit on [insert date].
Here are other related publications:
1. Tseng, W, Pleasants, E, Ivey, SL, Sokal-Gutierrez, K, Kumar, J, Hoeft, KS, Horowitz, AM, Ramos-Gomez, F, Sodhi, M, Liu, J, Neuhauser, L. Barriers and facilitators to promoting oral health literacy and patient communication among dental providers in California. IJERPH. 2021. 18; 216. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010216
2. Neuhauser L, Eleftherion A, Freed B, Sokal-Gutierrez K, Jackson R, Liu J, Ivey SL, Hoeft A, Horowitz A, Kumar J. Development of the California Oral Health Literacy Toolkit. JCDA. 2021 Sep 1;49(9): 587-593. https://escholarship.org/content/qt01r248xr/qt01r248xr.pdf
3. Hao CY, Sokal-Gutierrez K, Ivey SL, Hoeft KS. Rollout of the Oral Health Literacy Toolkit in California: A Mixed-Methods Analysis. JCDA. 2022 Nov 1;50(11):671-81. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19424396.2022.12224361
4. Yeeda, E., Tseng, W., Neuhauser, L., Ivey, S., Liu, J., Latham, L., … Robinson, L. (2025). Assessing the Use of an Oral Health Literacy Toolkit in Three California Dental Practices: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study. Journal of the California Dental Association, 53(1). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19424396.2025.2532871