Oral Health Strategies

Oral health presentation on xerostomia (dry mouth)

Date: March 6, 2014
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Oral Health Strategies

The Pierce County Oral Health Coalition is proud to organize an hour-long oral health presentation on March 12, followed by a regular PCOHC meeting (1-3 p.m.).   One continuing education (CE) credit is available.

  • Xerostomia (Dry Mouth): Causes, Symptoms and Management.  Presentation by Pierce College Dental Hygiene Faculty & Students.
  • Presentation will take place at Evergreen State College-Tacoma Campus, located at 1201 6th Street, Tacoma. For directions and a map, please go here.

The event is recommended for oral health professionals and providers and individuals and groups who are interested in learning more about xerostomia.

Lunch will be provided; please RSVP by 5 p.m., March 7, at pcohc@pcdentists.org, or use our contact page.  Space may be limited. Click here for the March 2014 Flyer.

Upcoming community events … dental and more

Date: January 21, 2014
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Adult Dental, Affordable Care Act, Chidren's Dental, Child Dental, Emergent Care, Medicaid, Oral Health Strategies, Volunteer Dental Care

Pierce County residents have many opportunities in January and February to connect with health, oral health, and personal care resources. Please spread the word about these wonderful PCOHC-member sponsored events:

  • Project Homeless Connect – Spanaway: Health care enrollment, dental, medical and other personal care services, Jan. 25, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Spanaway Middle School, 15701 B Street E.
  • Children’s Dental Health Day – Puyallup South Hill Mall: Free dental screenings, mobile dental van, community resources, and much more, Feb. 22, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

 

State-wide program leads country helping low-income children

Date: December 2, 2013
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: ABCD, Child Dental, Medicaid, Oral Health Strategies

ABCD LogoKudos to Washington state. The Washington Dental Service Foundation (WDSF) reports the state has been recognized as a national leader in providing preventive dental care to young children from low-income families.

Statewide more than 54 percent of Medicaid-enrolled children under age 6 are currently receiving dental care, according to an announcement on Nov. 21, by the WDSF. The number of children accessing care has increased dramatically in large part because of the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) Program, which was recently expanded to every county in the state.

The ABCD Program has been serving children in Pierce County since 2005. More information about the ABCD Program in Pierce County can be found on the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department web site.

State Board of Health endorses seven oral health strategies

Date: November 21, 2013
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Oral Health Strategies
The State Board of Health Presented a graphic image of the multiple facets of oral health in a presentation made on Nov. 13, 2013.

The Washington State Board of Health presented a graphic image of the multiple facets of oral health in a presentation made on Nov. 13.

Following nearly two years of planning with state and national oral health experts, the Washington State Board of Health endorsed seven oral health strategies to improve the oral health of state residents. The board endorsed the proposals at its Nov. 13 meeting, following a detailed discussion of the strategies from state oral health experts.

The guidelines provide a foundation to guide the board’s policy development activities and encourage efforts that focus on oral health promotion, prevention, intervention, and treatment.

The board noted in its summary of the strategies that poor oral health is costly to the state and is associated with a range of problems that affect children, adults, and seniors. An estimated 51 million school hours are lost annually by children because of dental health problems, and dental complaints in 2010 were the No. 1 reason why uninsured adults visited the state’s hospital emergency rooms, racking up $36 million in costs over 18 months.

A copy of the seven strategies can be found on the board’s web site. A detailed presentation summarizing the strategies is also published. The strategies call for best-practice and evidence-based efforts focusing on the following areas:

  • Health systems
  • Community water fluoridation
  • Sealant programs
  • Interprofessional collaboration
  • Oral health literacy
  • Surveillance
  • Work force