Wednesday, April 17, 2024
4/17/2024
The Montana/Wyoming Tribal Dental Support Center (DC) is a collaborative effort between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the Billings Area Indian Health Service. The DSC will provide support to dental programs that serve approximately 114,000 AI/AN members of 14 tribes who reside in Montana and Wyoming. The DSC will 1) Provide support, training, guidance, and enhancement to the Indian Health Service, Tribal, and Urban (I/T/U) dental programs within the Billings Area, and 2) Ensure that the services of the support center and the dental programs result in measurable improvements to the oral health status of the American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) patients served. To achieve the goal of meeting the needs of programs served and to improve oral health, the DSC will work collaboratively with local and area leadership to incorporate key strategies into programs planning of all IHS/Tribal dental programs in the Billings Area. The DSC is a critical resource to the Billings Area dental program, it provides support and resources to the field programs to enhance clinic and community-based oral health promotion/disease prevention (HP/DP) programs, and to implement strategies and activities that deliver high-quality dental care and improve access to care. The Billings Area faces several challenges in fulfilling its mission toward improving the oral health status of the AI/NA people served. Intensive assessment of programs served revealed 1) field programs lack the necessary resources to meet the needs of the communities served, 2) dental workforce is not adequately prepared for delivery of care in complex settings, and 3) there are prominent disparities in the oral health status of the AI/AN people served. Assessments of communities served identified prevention-based youth programs and access to dental appointments as priorities. The DSC is requesting a total of $250,000 per year to provide support and resources to local and area dental programs to develop and implement strategies and activities designed to meet the needs of the programs and communities served, and to improve the oral health of American Indian/Alaskan Natives people in the Billings Area. Without the DSC, the Billings Area lacks the necessary infrastructure and resources to effectively coordinate programs and to meet the mission of improving oral health status of the AI/AN people served.
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).
