Saturday, November 23, 2024
11/23/2024
The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) introduced the first successful dental therapist workforce in the United States in 2004. Dental Health Aide Therapists (DHATs) provide culturally appropriate dental education and routine dental services in Alaska Native/American Indian (AN/AI) communities, usually their home village, within the scope of their training. These DHATs make important improvements in oral health for AN/AI people in the rural areas of Alaska. This model increases preventative care that helps reduce high levels of cavities and other dental issues that lead to oral diseases. The Alaska dental preventive and clinical support center at ANTHC has been in existence for 20 years. The Alaska DHAT led to a national shift in dental professional laws and regulations, which include the addition of dental therapists into state dental regulations in 20 states. These DHATs are a model of how to provide safe, effective and appropriate dental care in communities where Indigenous people live, learn and work. As the Alaska support center at ANTHC continues to help the country meet the Department of Health and Human Services strategic goals, it will also meet the two priority goals set forth by the IHS Division of Oral Health (DOH) by partnering with the Alaska Area Tribal health dental programs, the regional Area Dental Officers (ADO), the IHS DOH, the State of Alaska, and oral health funders. The support center plans to gather appropriate baseline data and create objectives that require periodic measurements throughout implementation. The support center will be engaging in evidence based dental public health activities; the ultimate outcome from these activities is to increase the oral health status of AN/AI people living in the Alaska Service Area. The Alaska dental preventive and clinical support center plans on utilizing the Basic Services Survey (BSS) to first collect baseline data and annual data, and evaluate the effectiveness of prevention programs. BSS collection will be done in collaboration with those THO dental programs willing to participate on an annual basis. A second means of collecting data will be the Alaska Dental Assessment. This assessment will be conducted by the State of Alaska. The target for this will act as a proxy for the oral health status of school-aged children. The third method of data collection will be the GPRA oral health objectives. These objectives focus on access to care, sealants, and topical fluoride. Our goals will be addressed through the following objectives: 1. Objective 1: By September 2025, increase the number of culturally competent AN/AI providers working in Alaska tribal health organization dental programs by 10% by providing educational opportunities for DHAs. 2. Objective 2: By September 2025, increase the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of Alaska THO dental programs through increased interactions and communications as measured by the number of continuing education credits offered, as well as adding more opportunities for networking and sharing of information. 3. Objective 3: By September 2025, support the planning, implementation and evaluation of a minimum of three health promotion/disease prevention (HP/DP) projects in Alaska Area.
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).
