Project Title: Nebraska Oral Health Workforce Grant Activities Applicant: Nebraska DHHS Office of Oral Health and Dentistry Address: 301 Centennial Mall So, Lincoln NE 68509 Project Director: Jessica O. Ball Phone: (402) 471-8594 Email Address: jessica.o.ball@nebraska.gov Website Address: www.dhhs.ne.gov/dental Funding Request $400,000 per year for four years HRSA-22-050 The overarching goal of the Nebraska Oral Health Workforce Grant will be to implement innovative programs to address the dental workforce needs of state designated dental health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). This grant will increase accessibility and quality of oral health services for populations living in these areas. It will support the strategic use of grant activity evaluation to improve program performance while developing ways to sustain these programs long term. The NE oral health project will address four of the thirteen HRSA application objectives including: • 5: Programs developed in consultation with State dental societies to expand or establish oral health services and facilities in state designated dental health professional shortage areas, such as- o b: The establishment of portable dental clinics; o c: The establishment of models for the provision of dental services to children and adults such as individuals with disabilities and individuals living in long-term care facilities; • 6: Placement and support of dental students, dental residents and advanced dentistry trainees; • 9: Community-based prevention services such as dental sealant programs; • 12: The augmentation of a State dental office to coordinate oral health and access issues in the State. The grant will focus on three main activities: 1) Developing the oral health workforce at two to three rural local health departments (LHD) by creating community dental disease prevention teams in state dental HPSAs. The Office of Oral Health and Dentistry (OOHD) wi
ll train the unique oral health workforce teams composed of a public health registered dental hygienist and a community health worker. Each LHD will receive a portable hygiene unit to allow them to provide preventive services in early childhood locations, elementary schools and long-term care and assisted living facilities. The LHD teams will receive assistance from the NE Infection Control Assessment and Promotion program, who will advise them on safe dental services during the current pandemic situation. 2) Development of the first statewide referral center at the University Nebraska Medical Center, College of Dentistry’s “Champions of Care” clinic at the Munroe-Meyer Institute to increase access to high-quality and age-appropriate dental care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and strengthen the dental workforce's capacity and preparedness to provide high-quality oral health care to adults with IDD. This includes funding to support a general dentist to oversee advanced education general dentistry residents and dental students providing care in the clinic; and a registered hygiene/community dental health coordinator to supervise dental hygiene students in the clinic and provide care coordination. These new innovative workforce additions will increase the days of clinical care, improving access to care. 3) A pilot project rotating dental and dental hygiene students to local health department programs. The UNMC, College of Dentistry and the Creighton University, School of Dentistry will rotate students to the LHD sites to learn about dental public health services, and to provide preventive dental services, basic restorative care and extractions for older adults living in long-term care and assisted living facilities. Funding will also augment the NE OOHD including the following positions: oral health program manager, oral health epidemiology surveillance coordinator, and community health educator to help coordinate important Sta
te oral health activities.