- Terri Sewell Cosponsors Bill Reauthoring Program to Support Rural Hospitals
- HRSA: Inclusion of Terrain Factors in the Definition of Rural Area for Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Grants
- Celebrating National Rural Health Day
- DEA, HHS: Third Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications
- Talking Rural Health Care with U of M
- Public Inspection: DEA, HHS: Third Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications
- CDC Presents a Five-Year Plan for Rural Healthcare
- Kansas Faith Leaders 'Well Positioned' To Help Fill Mental Health Care Gaps in Rural Areas
- The CDC Wants More Kansas Farm Workers to Get Their Flu Shots This Season
- Study: Rural Residents More Likely to Struggle With Medical Debt
- In Rural Avery County, Helene Washed Away One of the Only Dental Clinics
- Deaths From Cardiovascular Disease Increased Among Younger U.S Adults in Rural Areas
- VA Proposes to Eliminate Copays for Telehealth, Expand Access to Telehealth for Rural Veterans
- Rural Veterans Are Struggling with Access to VA-Provided Care
- Idaho Gained Nurses. But Not Enough To Deal with Retirements and Population Boom.
Show Your Appreciation to Pennsylvania Water Operators!
When was the last time you thanked the water operators in your community for delivering safe water to your home? Tap water is something that many take for granted and we don’t often think of who was involved in making that happen. Regardless of the fluoridation status of your water system, water operators do an essential job of providing you and your family with safe drinking water.
PCOH is encouraging groups to thank water systems for delivering safe drinking water to homes, schools, restaurants, and businesses.
The “Water Operator Thank You Campaign” would be an ideal activity for community groups such as boards, homeowner associations, rotary clubs, church and youth groups, scouts, 4-H chapters, parent-teacher associations, sports teams, health clubs, and recreational leagues. If you are interested in participating, PCOH will provide you with blank thank you notes, envelopes, and a prepaid envelope to return your notes back to us. From there, we will address your note and send it on to your water system. Thank you for taking the time to show your appreciation for our PA water operators!
Click here for more information.
Click here to request thank you campaign materials.
New Brief Released: Pediatric Oral Health in Rural America
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Research and Policy Center published a new brief, “Hidden Crisis: Pediatric Oral Health in Rural America.” The brief brings to light some of the challenges faced by children and families accessing dental care. It proposes actions that hold promise for improving the oral health of America’s rural children, recognizing that the most effective approaches will be structured around the unique assets and needs of each community and involve many
stakeholders working together.
Study Links Periodontal Treatment to Lower Health Care Costs
A study published the Journal of the American Dental Association showed a link between periodontal treatment and lower health care costs for people with diabetes. The study also found that periodontal treatment was associated with reduced outpatient costs among people with commercial insurance or Medicaid.
“Brush, Book, Bed” Materials Offered in More Languages
The American Academy of Pediatrics updated their parent materials for the “Brush, Book, Bed” program. The program focuses on three key messages for parents: help your children brush their teeth, read a favorite book, and get to bed at a regular time each night. The program aims to improve oral health services in the medical home by linking oral health information with messages about early literacy, sleep, and establishing a regular nighttime routine. Materials are now available in English, Spanish, Cambodian,
French, Korean, Russian, and Taiwanese.
New Oral Health Resources Released on Antibiotic Use in Dental Care
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Dental Association (ADA), and the Organization for Safety, Asepsis, and Prevention (OSAP) published free printed materials and resources to improve antibiotic use in dental care. Dentists prescribe around 10% of overall outpatient antibiotic prescriptions nationally. Improving antibiotic use will keep patients healthy, help prevent side effects, and fight antimicrobial resistance. The new resources include a fact sheet on dental pain and swelling, on-demand recordings from the Antibiotic Stewardship Summit, a brochure about antibiotic use for a safe dental visit, and an antibiotic stewardship toolkit for dental providers.
Click here to download the fact sheet.
Click here to view the recordings.
Click here to download the brochure.
Click here to download the toolkit.
National Community Health Center Workforce Survey Results Released
The National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) published the results and analysis of their 2021 Community Health Center Workforce Survey. The purpose of the survey was to provide information and analysis on dental team member salaries, satisfaction, and recruitment and retention strategies in health centers throughout the country.
Stories Needed for the Pennsylvania Dental Story Bank!
Have you struggled to get a dental appointment for yourself or a child? Did you visit the emergency room or urgent care for a dental problem in the last year? Has it been difficult to find a dentist that takes your insurance? PA Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH) is collecting stories from all 67 counties around dental issues in our state. Your story can help us let decision-makers know that change is needed to protect the smiles of all Pennsylvanians. We will share these stories to push for changes to the current system.
Submit your story by April 4th for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!
Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry Releases Regulation Updates
The Pennsylvana State Board of Dentistry is soliciting comments for two draft regulation updates. Comments can be emailed to RA-STRegulatoryCounsel@pa.gov no later than April 28th. The first is a draft annex relating to the administration of anesthesia and would establish requirements for a nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation analgesia monitoring permit for dental hygienists. The second is a general update of the Board’s regulations relating to examinations, licensure, biennial renewal, inactive status, reactivation, EFDA program approval, titles, fictitious names, advertising specialties, unprofessional conduct, multidisciplinary professional practice, radiological procedures and continuing education.
Click here for the anesthesia update.
Click here for the general update.
New Report Reveals Dental Insurance Dropouts
New monthly data from the American Dental Association (ADA) Health Policy Institute (HPI) reveal new insights into the status of practice participation in dental insurance networks. The data show that about 1 in 6 dental practices have dropped out of some insurance networks since January 2023. The February 2023 poll also revealed that one-third of dentists continue to report they are actively recruiting dental hygienists and dental assistants.
Just Launched: An Introduction to Value-Based Care in Oral Health
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is offering a new self-paced online course, “An Introduction to Value-Based Care in Oral Health: Moving from Volume to Value.” The one-hour course identifies how value-based care in oral health can improve patients’ health outcomes while benefiting providers and payors. It offers 1 CE credit and includes a collection of resources and references to learn more about the topic.