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Register for the Virginia Oral Health Summit!
The Westin Richmond
The Virginia Oral Health Summit will profile the Virginia Oral Health Report Card and explore measures, trends, research and activities in Virginia to gauge population health and identify opportunities for improvement.
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Upcoming VaOHC Meetings
VA Oral Health Report Card Workgroup
Wednesday, October 12
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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Early Dental Home Workgroup, Project Advisory Board
Friday, October 21
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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Free Health Equity Event in North Carolina
 The Campaign for Dental Health is hosting a free health equity event in Cary, North Carolina, "Investing in Oral Health Prevention in the Hispanic Community," on Thursday, October 13. Register here and use the promo code "NC2016."
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Save the Date: November 18
Free CE Event in Southwest Virginia
 The Virginia Department of Health and the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services have partnered with VaOHC to offer a free CE program in Wytheville, Virginia on Friday, November 18, for dental providers who wish to improve their skills in treating adults with special health care needs. Contact Regina Potis if you'd like to receive registration information about this event.
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Aging in Appalachia Conference
East Tennessee State University and the Southwest Virginia Area Health Education Center will co-present the Aging in Appalachia Conference on Thursday, November 3 in Marion, Virginia. This interprofessional conference will offer innovative solutions to the challenges faced (including dental issues) while working with aging adults in Appalachia. Click here to register.
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Please take a moment and support the Coalition's work.
Please check with your HR department to find out if your gift can be matched.
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Virginia Oral Health Coalition
4200 Innslake Drive
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060
sholland@vaoralhealth.org
804.269.8720
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What is the Virginia Oral Health Report Card?
 The Virginia Oral Health Report Card will grade Virginia's progress toward improving oral health status, coverage, preventive service delivery and provider collaboration. To measure progress, the Report Card will use a set of carefully selected indicators that reflect oral health across the life span and recognize existing disparities.
The Report Card will include a comprehensive companion narrative, potential action items for myriad professional and community groups, and a framework to view our successes and opportunities as we all work together to ensure oral health is part of comprehensive health care in the commonwealth.
A diverse and dedicated group of stakeholders from throughout the state have worked collaboratively since May (and continue to work!) to select appropriate indicators, develop the Report Card framework, and ensure it can serve as a tool for positive change.
Plan to attend the Virginia Oral Health Summit on November 10 to see the Report Card first hand and gather supplementary tools to analyze its measures, craft messaging and lead change in your local community. Register here to reserve your space.
And, stay tuned for more information about regional Report Card efforts.
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Making Dental Care Part of Accountable Care Organizations
An Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is a multi-disciplinary group of health care providers who voluntarily work together to coordinate high-quality care. A recent Health Affairs blog post notes that ACOs are an excellent opportunity to clinically integrate medical and dental care to improve patient outcomes, reduce emergency department spending and other avoidable care costs, and increase access to care. While the blog does note challenges, it concludes that integrating medical and dental care through an ACO can underscore the critical role oral health providers play in the health care system.
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Brief: Fulfilling the Promise of Children's Dental Health Coverage
 The Affordable Care Act mandates the inclusion of pediatric dental coverage in the marketplace; yet, complications with implementing the coverage have created affordability and comprehensiveness issues. Georgetown University Health Policy Institute and the Children's Dental Health Project have co-authored an issue brief outlining 12 policy options that federal and state lawmakers should consider to strengthen pediatric dental coverage in the marketplace. Read the full brief. |
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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 and well-being.
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Publications from our Partners!
Check out these recent publications from our partners! (Full versions may require purchase or subscription.)
- Effects of a comprehensive oral health curriculum on knowledge, behavior, and attitude of physician assistant students, by Sara Nicely, DHEd, PA-C, The Journal of Physician Assistant Education
- Impacting Vulnerable Populations Through Integrating Oral Health Care Into Nurse-Managed Health Centers, by Loretta Vece, DNP, FNP-BC, et al, The Journal for Nurse Practitioners
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2016 Profile of Virginia's Uninsured
 The Virginia Health Care Foundation has released its 2016 Profile of Virginia's Uninsured, which shows that uninsured Virginians have poorer health and more unmet medical and dental care needs than insured peers. View the full report.
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Dental Sealants Shown to Improve Health, Reduce Costs
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The Future of Medicaid Transformation: A Practical Guide for States
 The National Governors Association Center has put together a Medicaid transformation toolkit as a "guide for states seeking to design and implement statewide transformation of their Medicaid programs." The toolkit includes a step-by-step guide states can use to design transformation proposals. View the toolkit.
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Oral Health Updates on the Web
The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors has updated its communications webpage to include a committee logic model and work plan. Additionally, CDC's oral health website has been redesigned to be more user-friendly. This month, they're featuring infection control resources in recognition of Dental Infection Control Awareness month.
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