Friday, April 18, 2025
4/18/2025
Partner Actions to Improve Oral Health Outcomes - Purpose: The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD), founded in 1948 and one of 21 Affiliates of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), will incorporate quality improvement theory-based strategies for change and new technologies to build on more than 20 years of successes and lessons learned in assessment, evaluation and analysis of progress; provision of technical assistance, training, mentoring and resources using multiple approaches; and dissemination of summaries and best practices of state and “territorial” oral health program (S/TOHP) infrastructure and capacity to perform core public health functions and the 10 essential public health services, especially use of dental sealants and fluoridation to prevent and control the progression of oral diseases. Some documents will highlight historical and environmental influences for each S/TOHP and how CDC, ASTDD, and other partners have impacted their capacity to assess, track, address and evaluate oral health needs and disparities of their populations across the lifespan. Strategic partnerships will facilitate identifying needs, leveraging and coordinating resources, evaluating outcomes, and communicating with multiple audiences. Short-term and Intermediate Outcomes include: • Increased number of states collecting Basic Screening Survey oral health data and submitting qualified data to the National Oral Health Surveillance System; • All CDC-funded states submit evaluation plans, conduct evaluations as indicated in the plan, submit evaluation reports using CDC’s Framework for Program Evaluations and make quality improvements in their programs; • Increased capacity of CDC-funded states to implement or maintain the following evidence-based prevention strategies: eligible schools with dental sealant programs and population served by optimally fluoridated community water systems; • Increased SOHP staff capacity to perform essential public health functions and services; • Increased public dissemination of oral health surveillance data documents; • Annual assessment and report on all SOHP infrastructure and capacity, identifying strengths, gaps and needs; • One-year assessment and report on all U.S. TOHP infrastructure and capacity, identifying strengths, gaps and needs, and providing initial TA/training. Proposed Strategies and Activities: Committees, workgroups, consultants, and contractors will conduct project activities with ASTDD leadership and partners and with guidance from CDC. Examples of activities include online assessments and evaluations; key informant interviews, listening sessions and focus groups; individual TA; S/TOHP review, SWOT or Competencies TA; mentoring/peer support and communities of practice; listserv discussions, virtual roundtables, conference calls; online training modules, video clips, webinars, National Oral Health Conference and grantee workshops; enhanced website resources, templates, checklists, tipsheets, guidelines, white papers, best practice submissions and reports, case histories; newsletter and journal articles; communication and sustainability plan tools, fluoridation plan templates, state oral health plan and coalition tools; sample press releases and infographics, social media storms and messaging library. Topics for resources and approaches will be based on needs identified during assessments, from evaluation feedback and from partners.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).