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On May 30, NIIOH Executive Director Anita Glicken was part of an expert panel that presented the webinar Accelerating Best Practice in Medical-Dental Integration. Hosted by the Santa Fe Group for the Colgate Oral Health Network for Professional Development and Education, this webinar explored key facets of Medical-Dental Integration (MDI), including the importance of including oral health interventions in primary care education and practice, the integration of primary care screenings into dental practices, and access to shared data to support a patient-centered, integrated approach to healthcare.
NIIOH Executive Director Anita Glicken was an invited facilitator for a KDH Research & Communication (KDHRC) meeting, “Championing Oral Health: Addressing Barriers to Oral Health Equity Through Communication” on April 22nd, 2024. The session addressed roles that lay health workers (non-dentists and non-medical professionals) can play in addressing oral health disparities.
KDHRC is expanding and conducting a randomized-controlled trial of the Guardians Receiving Information through Navigators (GRIN) program. GRIN is a culturally competent, online, and on-demand professional development course to prepare community health workers to provide oral health outreach to low-income African American guardians of children and adolescents and reduce oral health disparities. Learn more about the program here.
NIIOH Executive Director Anita Glicken was an invited speaker for the National Oral Health Conference session Federal Opportunities to Support Dental Therapy on April 15, 2024. The session, hosted and moderated by Laura Brannon of Community Catalyst, highlighted strategies that the federal government could use to increase the number of dental therapists working in underserved communities. Ms. Glicken presented an overview of work she led while Chair of HRSA’s Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry (ACTPCMD). The ACTPCMD provides advice and recommendations concerning policy and program development to Secretary Becerra and ranking members of congressional budget committees that decide Title VII appropriations and other matters of significance concerning medicine and dentistry activities under section 747 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. The committee’s 19th report entitled, Supporting Dental Therapy through Title VII Training Programs: A Meaningful Strategy for Promoting Equitable Oral Health Care, provides background on the dental therapy profession followed by committee recommendations for Title VII legislative, funding, and program support, as well as outcomes and evaluation to inform future investment and ensure accountability. Brett Weber of the National Indian Health Board also presented on the growth and impact of dental therapy programs in sovereign nations.
We are thrilled to share that OHNEP Executive Director Dr. Judith Haber has been appointed to the National Scientific Advisory Group of the American Heart Association’s Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts initiative, funded by and developed in collaboration with Delta Dental. This $14,000,000 project aims to improve the oral health and total health of patients nationwide by expanding access to equitable, integrated health care, as well as advance efforts to education clinicians and patients on the connection between heart health and oral health.
On March 6, the Center for Medicare Advocacy presented the webinar Medicare & Oral Health Care. The webinar recording and slides are available to view and download.
Concerted, broad-based advocacy over the past several years has achieved results in advancing policies and initiatives to improve equity and access in oral health care for older adults and persons with disabilities. One recent example is Medicare’s clarification that payment may be made for dental services that are integral to the clinical success of certain covered medical services.
This expert panel discussed payment clarification, disparities in access to oral health and the partnerships working to address these disparities and integrate oral health into overall health
2024 Gies Award Recipients (from left): Alison Doubleday, Ph.D, M.A., M.S. – Award for Innovation Nader Nadershahi, D.D.S., M.B.A., Ed.D. – Award for Vision and Leadership Santa Fe Group – Award for Achievement, received by Dr. Teresa Dolan, Mr. Ralph Fuccillo, and Dr. Dushanka Kleinman
On March 11, the Santa Fe Group (SFG) received the Gies Eminence in Achievement Award, and SFG member Nader A. Nadershahi, D.D.S., M.B.A., Ed.D. received the Vision and Leadership Award! The Gies Awards take place during the annual American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Session & Exhibition each year. Select honorees are recognized each year for their significant contributions to advancing dental education.
