Project Title: Montana Workforce Innovations (MWI) Applicant Organization Name: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Address: 1625 11th Ave, PO Box 4210, Helena, MT 59620-4210 Project Director Name: Katie Glueckert Contact Phone Numbers: (406) 444-2660 Email address: katie.glueckert@mt.gov Website: https://dphhs.mt.gov/ecfsd/oralhealth/ Grant program funds requested in this application: $400,000 per year, 4-year grant The Montana Workforce Innovation (MWI) will develop and implement innovative programs, focusing on the 34 Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) home to Montana’s underserved and under resourced communities to increase access to dental care and strengthen the oral health workforce. The innovative programs will meet the clinic priorities identified in Montana dental HPSAs including a lack of trained oral health providers, limited training opportunities for upcoming and existing providers, and barriers to accessing care for populations that experience oral health disparities including American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and individuals with special healthcare needs. Led by the Oral Health Program, MWI leverages existing partnerships with Montana State University College of Nursing, University of Washington School of Dentistry, and Yarrow, LLC. New partners committed to improving the oral health of our state include MT Office or Rural Health/Area Health Education Center; WIM, LLC; Billings Clinic, and Yarrow, LLC. These six experts in their fields will be subcontracted to fulfill these MWI Goals and Objective: Goal 1: Encourage and support State innovation that will increase oral health services for populations living in Dental HPSAs. Objective. 1.1: Develop and implement oral health professional pipeline programs. Objective. 1.2: Develop and implement oral health training in providing care to rural and underserved populations. Objective 1.3: Pilot a tribal pediatric oral health messaging
campaign. Objective 1.4: Provide interprofessional oral health services for American Indian children. Goal 2: Encourage and support the strategic use of evaluation to improve program performance, assess program impact, and address the concerns and needs of key stakeholders and decision makers within the State. Objective. 2.1: Collect evaluative metrics of innovative programs to support effective, rapid-response quality improvement activities and evaluation of grant activities. Objective. 2.2: Conduct comprehensive oral health workforce assessment. Objective 2.3: Conduct oral health surveillance to identify oral health disparities.