Virginia Oral Health Coalition 
May 2015 Newsletter
In This Issue
Save the Date!
Friday, Nov. 13

2015 Virginia Oral Health Summit
Richmond, VA

 
Sponsorship and exhibit options available.
 Contact Carrie Wampler for details.
 
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State Oral Health Planning Meeting
Stakeholders are invited to discuss and refine the objectives within the Virginia Oral Health Plan in Richmond on August 12, 2015. Contact Carrie Wampler if you plan to attend or to request additional information.
Volunteer Your Time!
 
Mission of Mercy
Volunteers are needed for upcoming MOM projects.
 
 
CrossOver Dental Referral Program
The CrossOver Dental Program provides cost effective care by utilizing volunteers to provide the majority of their dental services. To help with the dental waiting list, CrossOver is introducing a new dental referral network which allows program dentists to offer free restorative services to CrossOver patients in the comfort of their own office.
 

Please take a moment to support the Coalition's work.

 

 

 

 

Please check with your HR department to find out if your gift can be matched. 

Congress Considers Older Americans Act- With Dental!

 

The Older Americans Reauthorization Act (OAA) provides older Americans with much needed community social services that allow them to age healthy and independently in their homes.

 

The Senate's bill includes-for the first time-a small provision that allows the aging network to use funds they receive for disease prevention and health promotion activities to conduct oral health screenings. The oral health screenings do not require new or increased appropriations, but rather the provision directs the aging network to use funds they already receive for disease prevention and health promotion activities.

 

The Older Americans Reauthorization Act of 2015 was introduced by U.S. Senate Health Committee leaders and passed by the Senate HELP Committee in late January - yet it has not moved to the Senate floor for a vote.

View Oral Health America's information regarding the bill. 

 

Contact Virginia Senators to urge them to move the OAA to the Senate floor for passage. 

 

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Study Ties Increase in ED Visits to Elimination of Adult Medicaid Dental Benefits
  

The elective status of adult dental coverage under Medicaid in California has led to a 32% increase in emergency dental care visits during a six year period. The report indicates that eliminating California Medicaid adult dental benefits shifts dental care to costly emergency department (ED) visits that do not provide definitive dental care.

         

View the full report
 

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Virginia Grassroots Organizations Incorporating Oral Health

  

Four Virginia community-based organizations have received funding from the DentaQuest Foundation through the foundation's OH2020 initiative-the same initiative that VaOHC is a proud state level participating partner. Each organization was chosen because of its direct work with those in need and because currently the organizations are not directly engaged in oral health efforts. Funding will enable the organizations to ensure the voices of those most affected by poor oral health are included in the oral health network and that their needs and values are recognized. 

 

The four organizations are below. If you would like more information about how to get involved with the grassroots oral health movement in your locality, email Carrie Wampler to request more information.

  • Petersburg Wellness Consortium (PWC) is a volunteer organization established to improve Petersburg's health by optimizing resources and partnerships, serving as an umbrella organization for other entities in Petersburg, working towards the common goal of improving health and creating a culture of health and wellness.
  • Appalachian Prosperity Project (AAP) is a university-community-industry collaborative partnership created to advance education, health and economic prosperity in Southwest Virginia.
  • Smart Beginnings Virginia Peninsula provides collaborative leadership to ensure access to high quality care, as well as education and health services enabling all children on the Virginia Peninsula to be prepared for kindergarten emotionally, physically and intellectually so they have the opportunity to succeed in school and in life.
  • Healthy Roanoke Valley is a United Way of Roanoke Valley initiative that relies on the partnership of more than 50 organizations to enhance health equity for the underserved in the Roanoke Valley by striving to improve access to services as well as coordination of care and wellness-priorities which were identified in the 2012 Roanoke Valley Community Health Needs Assessment conducted by Carilion Clinic.

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Of Interest

  

Oral Health and Overall Health

Smile Circle 

Oral health and overall health are fundamentally intertwined. The following links present current information on how oral health is connected to overall health and well-being.  

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Elsevier Early Childhood Caries Resource Center

 

Elsevier's Early Childhood Caries (ECC) Resource Center serves as a centralized clearing house where information regarding ECC can be shared among stakeholders and ignite collaborative strategies to help eradicate ECC and its accompanying co-morbidities.

 

View the ECC Resource Center

 

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Free CE Course for Nurses: Oral Health for Older Adults in Palliative Care & Long-Term Settings

Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE), the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing (HIGN) and the Oral Health Nursing Education and Practice (OHNEP) have developed a new Oral Health Webinar series. Each webinar, one hour in length, will address and promote interprofessional oral health and provide tools and education that healthcare professionals can use to improve the quality of oral healthcare that older adults receive. Free nursing CE available.

 

View course details and additional information

 

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Please visit our website for more oral health information