Thursday, April 3, 2025
4/3/2025
A Statewide Approach for Advancing Oral Health in Ohio - A Statewide Approach for Advancing Oral Health in Ohio Project Abstract Summary The mission of the Oral Health Program (OHP), to promote and improve the oral health of Ohioans, is accomplished by supporting evidenced- and community-based oral disease prevention programs, working to ensure that oral health is seen as an essential part of overall health, and collecting, analyzing and using data to drive program activities. This funding opportunity will enable the OHP to build on its current work and further focus its efforts on populations that experience a disproportionate level of oral diseases. The OHP will work with a variety of statewide partners (the Ohio EPA, the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers, the Ohio School-Based Health Alliance, the Appalachian Children’s Coalition, and the Ohio Department of Health Healthcare-Associated Infections/Antimicrobial Resistance Program [HCA/ARP]) to address the four expected outcomes of this funding opportunity in the following ways: 1) OHP will use data to target efforts to increase the number of Ohioans with access to optimally fluoridated water, particularly those who through analyses of secondary data are at increased risk of oral health inequities and live in communities with fewer than 10,000 persons. The OHP will also participate in the CDC Water Fluoridation Reporting System and promote community water fluoridation to targeted nonfluoridated communities. The OHP will leverage funding received from the Delta Dental Foundation to help systems start or maintain high quality fluoridation systems. 2) OHP will acquire secondary data from multiple data sources, including Ohio Medicaid claims data, Ohio’s federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to characterize the relationship between oral health and Type 2 diabetes, particularly for oral health conditions (e.g., tooth loss, periodontal disease) which indicate a higher level of risk for diabetes-related complications, and the extent to which patients with diabetes have access to oral health services. FQHC data will also describe the degree of medical and dental integration for people with diabetes served by FQHCs, factors that impede or enhance integration, and the impact on health outcomes. These data will serve as a foundation for implementing strategies to bolster awareness and collaboration between clinical and community resources to improve medical and oral health integration. 3) OHP will analyze, interpret, and disseminate secondary oral health data about evidence-based preventive dental services (EBPDSs) (e.g., dental sealants and fluoride varnish) from multiple data sources (Medicaid claims data, the National Survey of Children’s Health, the Ohio Basic Screening Survey) that identify and characterize disparities in use and access among populations of focus. OHP will increase the number of children who receive dental sealants and fluoride varnish by increasing the number of CDC-funded school-based health centers that provide these EBPDSs. 4) OHP will collaborate with the HAI/ARP to provide training, technical assistance and resources on infection prevention and control to dental safety net programs, EBPDS programs, and others that provide oral health services in schools and community-based programs (e.g., community health centers, long term care facilities, facilities that house those without permanent housing), all of which serve populations who experience oral health disparities. The requested level of funding for this work is $380,800 per year for the 3-year project period (9/1/2024-8/31/2027).
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).