Oral Health Resource Center Update: October 2023

October 24, 2023
October is national dental hygiene month

October is National Dental Hygiene Month

OHRC recognizes the dedication and great work of dental hygienists during this special month!

New Federal Funding Opportunity Announced

On Monday, October 16, 2023, a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) was posted at grants.gov for two projects in the Maternal and Child Health (MCH)–Improving Oral Health Integration (MCH-IOHI) Program from HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB).

  • HRSA-24-039: Maternal and Child – Improving Oral Health Integration Demonstration Projects (MCH-IOHI Projects). MCHB expects to award up to seven new cooperative agreements.
  • HRSA-24-040: Maternal and Child – Improving Oral Health Integration Demonstration Projects (MCH-IOHI Consortium). MCHB expects to award one new cooperative agreement.

Both projects are addressed in one NOFO. Download the NOFO from grants.gov and subscribe for updates. The notice includes information about upcoming technical assistance webinars.

As a consortium applicant, OHRC plans to continue providing technical assistance and resources like it has in two COHSII cooperative agreements. OHRC has provided over 25 years of MCHB-funded service to those in state Title V programs, state oral health programs, community-based programs, and other professionals. 

  • OHRC's webpage about the funding opportunity includes resources from the NOFO to help state entities prepare their application for demonstration project funding.

Journal Article Explores 20 Years of Achievements in MCH Oral Health, Current Challenges, and Future Priorities

This open-access article by Jay Kumar, James Crall, and Katrina Holt, "Oral Health of Women and Children: Progress, Challenges, and Priorities," in the Maternal and Child Health Journal examines achievements during the last 20 years, assesses current challenges, and discusses future priorities. The article provides a historical perspective on efforts and progress made to address the causes of high oral disease rates, unmet oral health treatment needs, and profound oral health disparities among the maternal and child health (MCH) population. It calls for a national workshop to develop a framework for future actions. 
The article references OHRC's Leadership and Legacy: Oral Health Milestones in Maternal and Child Health, a timeline that traces significant events that have occurred in the United States and that have impacted the oral health and, ultimately, the overall health and well-being of children, adolescents, women, and families. The timeline highlights the support for oral health components included in federal agency activities such as infrastructure and capacity, service, research, and professional development.

Browse the milestones at our website, use an index of events online, and download a PDF summary. The photo above is a children's dental unit circa 1930.
Leadership and legacy oral health milestones

In the News

 

Deadline Extended for Roundtable Abstract Submissions for NOHC 

The National Oral Health Conference (NOHC) planning committee has extended the deadline to submit abstracts for roundtable sessions until 11:45 pm EST on December 15, 2023. Take care to follow submission guidelines for the roundtable format, because submissions that do not follow the roundtable format will not be considered.


Glass Ionomer Cement Self-Paced Course

CareQuest Institute's newest self-paced course, "Glass Ionomer Cement: Prevention and Beyond," explores the many ways to use glass ionomer cement (GIC) to improve health outcomes for patients. This 60-minute course for one free CE credit highlights how to use GIC for various applications. It concludes with an overview of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, a tool that can help oral health professionals effectively and sustainably integrate GIC or other process improvements into practice.
 

National Children's Dental Health Month Campaign Announced

Each February, oral health enjoys a focus from National Children's Dental Health month activities. The American Dental Association’s Center for Public and Population Health and Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention announced that the 2024 National Children’s Dental Health Month materials are ready for order. The website offers resources including activity sheets and a planning guide and an order form for free bilingual posters and postcards. Act now to get ready for February's events.
 

Proceedings of a Workshop on Community-Engaged Oral Health

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has released Sharing and Exchanging Ideas and Experiences on Community-Engaged Approaches to Oral Health: Proceedings of a Workshop. The proceedings summarize discussions held during a public workshop conducted by the National Academies Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education in November 2022. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss definitions of community-engaged oral health and how it can be put into practice within, between, and across health professions. Discussions emphasized lifelong learning, social determinants of health and community engagement, and development of innovative approaches and models for oral health workforce education and training in a global context.
 

Provider Perspective About SDF in Pediatric Practice

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), with funding from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, has released Pediatricians and Pediatric Oral Health: Knowledge and Attitudes about SDF in Pediatric Practice (executive summary and report). It describes the results of a recent survey and key informant interviews with AAP members. AAP is currently drafting guidance on SDF application for primary care professionals.

Oral Health Learning Café

OHRC's Oral Health Learning Café is an informal, supportive space for professionals to engage with others about integrating oral health and primary care. On November 9, 2023, Jessica Jack from Denver Health and Hospital Authority and the University of Colorado School of Medicine will present "Providing the HPV Vaccine During Dental Appointments" with discussion to follow. Visit our website to view webinar programs and subscribe to the discussion list to receive announcements about upcoming webinars and the monthly Integration Alert.
URL: 
https://www.mchoralhealth.org/announcements/index.php