Community Health Workers (CHWs)

Community Health Workers

Community health workers (CHWs) are frontline public health professionals who are trusted members of the communities they serve. Rooted in justice and equity, CHWs act as bridges between health care and their communities, and take on many different roles. 

Different roles CHWs may take

CHWs are professionals that hold many titles depending on the communities they serve: promotores, community health representatives (CHRs), outreach specialists, community health educators, among others. We will refer to all these professionals collectively as CHWs. 

CHWs & Oral Health

The importance of oral health extends beyond just maintaining a bright smile. By helping people prioritize their oral health, CHWs can help enhance their patients' overall well-being and ability to lead healthier, happier lives.

Explore the ways CHWs can support dental public health below, with information for:

Importance of Oral Health
  • Health connection: Good oral health is linked to overall health. Poor oral health is linked to heart disease, diabetes, respiratory infections, and other health issues.
  • Prevention of dental issues: Regular oral health care prevents cavities and gum disease, reducing the need for costly treatments.
  • Impact on nutrition: Healthy teeth are essential for proper chewing and digestion. Dental issues can affect the ability to chew and can lead to nutritional deficiency.
  • Self-esteem and confidence: A healthy smile can boost self-esteem and confidence, influencing social interactions and mental well-being.
  • Impact on school readiness and success: Dental decay can lead to pain, inflection, and difficulty in eating, speaking, and even learning, affecting cognitive development and school readiness.
  • Impact on pregnancy: Oral health is important for pregnant people as poor dental health can negatively impact pregnancy and infant health outcomes.

CHWs

Are you a CHW interested in learning more about oral health? Several oral health training programs for CHWs are available, from online certification courses to educational videos. Here are a few options:

Resources:

Community-based Organizations

Are you a community-based organization interested in expanding your population reach to include CHWs with oral health specialty training? Several oral health training programs for CHWs are available, from online certification courses to educational videos. Here are a few options:

Resources:

Dental Providers

Modern dentistry is no longer confined to the four walls of the dental office. Social determinants, cultural beliefs, transportation barriers, and trust all shape whether a patient ever sits in a dental chair. CHWs meet patients where they live, learn, work, and worship, then guide them into care. Learn more about how to incorporate CHWs into your patient-centered dental practice in Session 5 of the California CHW Oral Health Training Program. 

Billing Medi-Cal Dental

CHW services are now billable through Medi-Cal Dental. The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) added CHW services (oral health education and navigation) as a Medi-Cal benefit starting July 1, 2022.

  • Oral health education: CHWs provide oral health education to promote members’ oral health or address barriers to dental health care including providing information consistent with established or recognized oral health care standards.
  • Oral health navigation: CHWs deliver oral health navigation to provide information, training, referrals, or support to assist members in accessing health care, understand the health care system, or engage in their own care. Additionally, CHWs connect members to community resources and may assist with a variety of concerns that impact Medi-Cal Dental members, including but not limited to, access to oral health care systems, oral health-related social needs, transportation services, and translation services. 

Medi-Cal Dental CHWs provide services under the supervision of an enrolled Medi-Cal Dental provider. More detailed information can be found at DHCS's Medi-Cal Dental Community Health Workers website, in Provider Bulletin Volume 41 Number 40, and this FAQ.