- 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
- 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
- In Rural Avery County, Helene Washed Away One of the Only Dental Clinics
- Rural Veterans Are Struggling with Access to VA-Provided Care
- Community Health Workers Spread Across the US, Even in Rural Areas
- Idaho Gained Nurses. But Not Enough To Deal with Retirements and Population Boom.
- CMS Announces New Policies to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Increase Access to Care, and Advance Health Equity
CMS Launches Oral Health Cross Cutting Initiative
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the inaugural Oral Health Cross Cutting Initiative (CCI) fact sheet. This initiative is committed to ensuring equitable access to oral health care, eliminating disparities, expanding oral health service availability, and effectively engaging stakeholders. It aims to improve the oral health and wellness of individuals who have Medicare, Medicaid, and Marketplace coverage.
Quality Measures of Oral Health Care for Children Released
The Consortium for Oral Health Systems Integration and Improvement released “Selected Quality Measures of Oral Health Care for Children.” The new brief provides a national summary of selected oral health care quality measures for children including oral evaluation, dental services, topical fluoride for children, and sealant receipt on permanent first molars.
Oral Health Resources for Older Adults Available
PCOH has added two new resources on oral health care for older adults to their Request Materials page. “Oral Health Care Tips for Older Adults” is a resource with tips for oral health care for older adults including the importance of regular dental care and dental access. “Oral Care for Long-Term Care Residents” is a tri-fold brochure with tips providers need to know for treating adults in long-term care facilities. Topics include dry mouth, denture care, and gum disease. These resources, and many others, are available to download or ship for free from the Request Materials page.
CMS Oral Health Cross-Cutting Initiative
On July 23rd, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its first fact sheet highlighting the CMS’s Oral Health Cross-Cutting Initiative (CCI). The Oral Health CCI, led by the CMS Chief Dental Officer, is committed to ensuring equitable access to oral health care, eliminating disparities, expanding dental service availability, and effectively engaging stakeholders. The fact sheet provides an overview of the CMS’s work to improve access to oral health services across CMS programs, including strengthening coverage for Medicare, Medicaid, and Marketplace beneficiaries, and how it’s using data to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities in oral health care.
New Report: Oral Health Care for Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities
The American Academy of Pediatrics published “Oral Health Care for Children and Youth With Developmental Disabilities.” This clinical report highlights the oral health needs of children and youth with developmental disabilities and calls for coordinated care.
Updated Oral Health Core Clinical Competencies Guide Released
The National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) updated their “User’s Guide for the Implementation of the Oral Health Core Clinical Competencies.” This guide was first created in 2014. The updated guide features new strategies, promising practices, and health center examples focused on integrating oral health and primary care practices.
Article Published on the Integration of Primary and Oral Health
A new article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) focuses on best practices and challenges for integrating oral health into primary care practice. “Integration of Primary and Oral Health Care – An Unrealized Opportunity” explores the solution of using a team-based approach where a variety of professionals collaborate to provide whole-person care.
New Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition Website Launched
The PA Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH) just launched their upgraded website. The site has a new look, improved navigation features, as well as a brand new “Finding Dental Care” page that connects users with resources for dental care and dental referrals across Pennsylvania. Check it out!
Pennsylvania Fluoride Study Featured in Journal of the American Dental Association
A Pennsylvania-based study will be featured in the upcoming August issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA). “Cross-sectional study of association between caries and fluoridated water among third-grade students in Pennsylvania,” authored by Pennsylvania Department of Health Oral Health Program epidemiologist Dr. Jun Yang, also features PCOH Executive Director Helen Hawkey as a co-author. The study found that community water fluoridation was significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing caries among Pennsylvania children.
Oral Health and Nicotine/Tobacco Updates Available
The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) Dental Public Health Policy Committee announced a new policy statement on preventing tobacco/oral nicotine use to promote oral health. The statement provides information on the impacts to oral and overall health as well as guidance identifying effective strategies in prevention.
Click here to read the statement.
The World Health Organization (WHO) released the first-ever “Clinical Treatment Guidelines for Tobacco Cessation in Adults.” The guidelines include a set of cessation interventions for adults seeking to quit all kinds of tobacco products. These guidelines are designed to help communities and governments provide the best possible support for adults trying to quit tobacco products.