Oral Health Plan Section

PURPOSE

To improve health equity by increasing access to oral disease prevention and treatment measures for all residents of Massachusetts.

OVERVIEW

The proposed prevention and access strategies focus on:

• Promoting ex pansion of community water fluoridation as the foundation of better oral health.
• Promoting preventive oral health services including sealants and access to fluoride products.
• Increasing healthy equity by improving access to preventive, restorative and rehabilitative oral health services for vulnerable and diverse populations. These include: people of color; low income populations; people with special health care needs; women of childbearing age, pregnant women and new mothers; children from 0‐21 years of age; older residents living independently, in nursing homes and in assisted living residences; uninsured and underinsured individuals; and the homeless.
• Promoting oral health knowledge and awareness.
• Educating the public about the connection between oral health and general health.
• Engaging a broad coalition of community‐based providers in oral health promotion.

GOAL 1: Increase the proportion of Massachusetts residents benefiting from community prevention programs.

Objectives:

1. Promote the use of fluoride and fluoridation among individuals, regardless of age, at moderate to high risk for dental decay. (2010‐2015)
2. Maintain fluoridation in communities currently fluoridated, and Increase the number of communities with a fluoridated public water supply. (2010‐2015)
3. Increase the number of children at moderate to high‐risk for dental decay who have sealants on primary and permanent molar teeth by 25%. (By 2012)
4. Increase the number of children in school‐based, early childhood and community fluoride programs by 10%. (By 2012)

Action Steps:

• Collaborate with the legislature and the Department of Public Health to identify opportunities and strategies to expand the number of community‐based prevention programs for vulnerable populations.
• Advocate for increased funding for integrated community and school‐based oral health education and prevention programs targeting vulnerable populations.
• Work with municipal leaders, health boards, community groups and coalitions to coordinate a united effort for community water fluoridation.
• Establish a multi‐disciplinary group of experts to serve as a resource for communities considering water fluoridation.
• Work with the Office of Oral Health in the Department of Public Health to expand school‐based prevention programming.
• Advocate for legislation that mandates private insurance to reimburse for selected oral health prevention services by trained non‐dental providers.

GOAL 2: Increase the number of Massachusetts residents receiving oral health services.

Objectives:

1. Increase access to and use of preventative, restorative and rehabilitative oral health services by seniors living independently in the community and in long‐term care and assisted living facilities. (2010‐2015)
2. Double the number of pediatric primary care providers who deliver oral health services including oral health screenings, fluoride varnish application, and dental referrals for patients at risk. (By 2012)
3. Increase the number of adult primary care providers, including obstetricians and gynecologists, who perform oral health and oral cancer screenings and make dental referrals during routine medical visits. (2010‐2015)
4. Increase the number of oral health safety net programs (e.g. community health centers, mobile dental care programs) performing outreach and enrolling and serving as a dental home for those who have no dental insurance, and traditionally underserved populations such as chronically ill individuals, pregnant women and the homeless. (2010‐2015)
5. Increase access to and use of preventative, restorative, and rehabilitative oral health services by racial and ethnic minorities, low income populations, pregnant women, and people with special health care needs, including people with disabilities and people living with HIV/AIDS. (2010‐2015)
6. Increase the number of MassHealth recipients receiving preventive, restorative and rehabilitative services. (2010‐2015)

Action Steps:

• Collaborate with agencies and organizations to develop, support and implement oral health programs to address disease prevention and access to care for residents living independently, and in long‐term care facilities, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities.
• Work with state, regional and local medical and health professional associations to promote members’ participation in delivering preventive oral health services and referrals to a dental home.
• Collaborate with statewide and local stakeholders to promote the inclusion of dental coverage in health insurance packages.

GOAL 3: Increase knowledge and awareness of the importance of oral health to overall health.

Objectives:

1. Increase the public’s oral health knowledge and raise awareness of its importance to overall health, helping to promote effective individual oral health practices. (2010‐2015)
2. Increase oral health knowledge of pre‐school staff, teachers, health workers, nursing home staff and other key service providers. (2010‐2015)
3. Increase the oral health knowledge of students enrolled in health professional schools and programs by integrating culturally‐appropriate oral health curricula. (2010‐2015)

Action Steps:

• Partner with key statewide and local stakeholders to develop and deliver consistent and culturally appropriate messages to increase oral health knowledge and awareness, including the importance of annual oral cancer screenings.
• Partner with state and local athletic associations, school departments and coaches to promote the use of mouth guards by children engaged in contact sports, regardless of age.
• Train parents, teachers, community health workers, personal care attendants, and nursing home staff and other caregivers on oral health concerns.
• Collaborate with state health professions schools to identify culturally appropriate oral health curricula and to integrate them in their training programs.

Workgroup List

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