PLEASE NOTE: No CE or certificate are available in this free course.

February is Children’s Dental Health month which provides time to bring awareness on the inequities surrounding oral health and barriers to care. Children from communities of color and underserved populations face negative oral health outcomes at disproportionate rates. 

In addition to recognizing the impacts of oral health inequities, this month serves as an opportunity to discuss strategies for improving these outcomes. The dental therapist framework can be adopted as a means to address barriers to care and improve oral health and dental services.

This training was originally presented on February 22, 2022.

Audience

Public health practitioners and those involved in policy development in Region V, as well as dental health service providers in Ohio and Region V (including policy and service delivery leadership, such as FQHC directors)

Learning Objectives

• Describe the connection between oral health and overall health
• Recognize the inequities in oral health care and its inaccessibility due to the maldistribution of dental health professionals and underrepresented minorities in the dental profession within the Great Lakes region and across the country 
• Discuss a strategic workforce framework as a way of improving oral health and access to care, while also addressing the maldistribution of dental health professional

Instructors

Lawrence F. Hill, DDS, MPH, President, National Coalition of Dentists for Health Equity

Akia Clark, MPH, AmeriCorps VISTA, Ohio Public Health Association

Sarah Wovcha, JD, MPH, Executive Director, Children's Dental Services

Moderated by: David Maywhoor, Consultant, Ohio Public Health Association

Sponsors

The Region V Public Health Training Center is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31684 Public Health Training Centers ($924,899). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by Region V PHTC, HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Technical Information

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Contact us at rvphtc@umich.edu with questions.