|
Budget Update: State-Supported Dental Clinics and Medicaid Expansion
Virginia's Senate and House of Delegates have both approved budget language that will allow a stakeholder group to continue its work to transition Virginia Department of Health (VDH) dental clinics to a prevention-based model. In addition, both budgets have included amendments that will affect Medicaid coverage for 400,000 Virginians. If Medicaid expands in Virginia, these indivdiuals will have access to emergency dental extractions.
 The House and Senate budgets are now in conference committee - a group comprised of appointed members from each body who come together to hash out differences between the two budgets until one, final budget is realized.
View a list of conference committee members.
The Coalition encourages all of our partners to contact committee members to say thank you for recognizing the importance of access to oral health services in Virginia. For more information on the committee's budgetary decisions, view this fact sheet from Healthcare for All Virginians.
Back to top
|
Oral Health and Overall Health
 Oral health and overall health are fundamentally intertwined. The following links present current information on how oral health is connected to overall health well-being.
______________________
Evidence Supports Effectiveness of Fluoride Varnish in Young Children
A recent substantive review has found more evidence for the effectiveness of fluoride varnish in caries prevention for young children.
Medical and Dental Collaboration Initiative - Implementation Update
The Coalition's medical and dental collaboration initiative has made great strides toward increasing the presence of oral health in clinical education and practice settings.
Read a full update on this initiative
______________________
Back to top |
|
Please visit our website for more oral health information
|
The Coalition recently moved into a new office space in the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association(VHHA) building in Richmond's West End. We would like to say THANK YOU to 
The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and Prevention Connections have teamed up to host the annual "Weight of the State" conference this April to discuss childhood obesity prevention. Several contributing factors for childhood obesity, including high sugar intake and poor health literacy, may also increase the risk for tooth decay. 