Building a Strong Network for Kentucky’s System of Oral Health

Care

Presentation Outcomes:

• Shared appreciation of the importance of children’s oral health and your role

• Participants have a clear understanding of the their role in improving oral health in their program and their community

• Each participant leaves the session with a clear understanding and commitment to take at least one action in their community

Introductions and Networking

1) Find a partner

2) State your name, organization, and location

3)“What oral health needs do you see in your community, especially when it comes to children and families?”

4) “Share 1-2 ways that your program addresses oral health needs for children and their families.”

What do we want to see in KY?

• All children in Kentucky are healthy

• Better oral health access for children

• Surrounding children with adults who know about the importance of oral health

• Networked and connected system of oral health in KY

WHAT WILL KENTUCKY LOOK LIKE IN 2016:

We asked our stakeholders to share one word or phrase that describes their vision for the future of oral health in Kentucky, here are the responses:

• Improved• Partnership• Asset to communities• Collaborative• Integration to overall health• Coordinated• Dramatically improved• Optimal oral health for all• Inclusive• Collaboration• Innovation• Brighter• Happy healthy smiles• That all children grow up with all

their teeth and keep them

• Every child having a dentist that they see regularly

• Sparkling• United• Prevention• Valued• Need to be more commit to

diversity groups and multilingual• Everyone• Parents educated and children

educated• Lower the decay and tooth loss

rate by 50%• Toothed (as in not toothless)• Beautiful.

THE ORAL HEALTH NEED

What we learned from talking to parents1. Parents think about and value prevention – but there are barriers to getting it done

2. There seems to be a lot of oral health activities going on, but its not a coordinated state effort – it needs to reach more people where they are

3. Schools are critical in delivering education about oral health to parents and children as well as providing certain services

4. There are many ways to get information to parents – we need to target our efforts on those who are not hearing it – especially with limited resources

4. Reaching parents involves getting to those they trust – they learn from their friends

5. Ob/gyns and pediatricians need to involved in messaging

6. To reach health professionals – online CEU’s and going through professional associations is critical

7. Policymakers must be a key audience for oral health literacy

You can’t wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time.

Pat Schroeder

Kentucky Oral Health Coalition (KOHC)

Vision

• All people of Kentucky can enjoy optimal oral health for life.

Mission• Improve the oral health of all people in Kentucky.

Goals

• To advocate for improved access

• To promote and encourage active interaction, effective collaboration and cooperation between all providers of oral and general health

• To actively participate, communicate, and encourage relationships of the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition with other advocacy groups

Members

Dentists

Hygienists

Family Resource Centers

Managed Care Companies

Corporations

Government Entities

Teachers

Parents

Educators

Social Workers

Parents

Community Health

Public Health Departments

Others

Rather than worry about critical mass, our

work is to foster critical connections.

Margaret Wheatley

Weave \’wēv\to unite in a coherent whole

Building a National Network: 2013

West Virginia Virginia

Indiana

Washington

Oregon

California

Nevada

Idaho

Montana

Wyoming

ColoradoUtah

New MexicoArizona

Texas

Oklahoma

Kansas

Nebraska

South Dakota

North DakotaMinnesota

Wisconsin

Illinois

Iowa

Missouri

Arkansas

Louisiana

Alabama

Tennessee

Michigan

Pennsylvania

New York

Vermont

Georgia

Florida

Mississippi

Kentucky

South Carolina

North Carolina

MarylandOhioDelaware

New Jersey

Connecticut

Massachusetts

Maine

Rhode Island

New Hampshire

Alaska

Hawaii

Excludes grants below $40,000

KOHC’s Annual Meeting Who? All KOHC Members and oral health stakeholders are encourage to attend.

When? July 25th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Lunch provided).

Where? Foundation for Healthy Kentucky Offices in Louisville.

Why? Help KOHC develop our 2015 policy agenda as well as learn about the coalition’s current work!

Most people skate to where the puck is. I skate to where the puck is going. Wayne Gretzky

Check out question:

We would now like for you to think about

one action that you can take when you

return to your community to improve oral

health.

Please take a sticky note and write this down

with your name and center name and

county.

To be hopeful means

to be uncertain about

the future, to be

tender toward

possibilities, to be

dedicated to change

all the way down to

the bottom of your

heart.

Rebecca Solnit