ODH Update CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
needed to provide adequate training to the dental assisting students. Clinical rotations are held at Compass Health Centers and students can volunteer at dental events in the area. It is exciting to see these young adults giving back to their community while learning a trade they are interested in! The students started as high school juniors and plan to participate in Expanded Function Dental Assisting training their senior year.
The HRSA grant also supports workforce. ODH is working to improve dental care for long term care facility residents using dental hygienists, expanded function dental assistants (EFDAs) and teledentistry. The dental hygienists and EFDAs gather informa- tion during initial visits so the dentist can de- termine a care plan and the appropriate team member to provide the care. The dentist is also available via telehealth. The project goal is to identify a sustainable way to expand the workforce by enabling the hygienist to work to the top of their scope of practice. Provid- ing care to long term care residents can de- crease cases of aspiration pneumonia, which is common among this population. The three contractors—Enable Dental, Ozark Com- munity Health Center and McCoy, Samples, Mattingly Dental Clinics—provided oral care to 74 residents during 2024.
ODH also received funding from Veteran’s United to continue its partnership with A.T. Still University to support Veterans’ oral health. Through our Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) grant, ODH provides scholarships to A.T. Still University dental students who provide services to Veterans seeking care in the Affinia St. Louis dental clinic. Through the work of these students and the Smiles for Vets program, 129 Veterans received free dental services through August 2024.
ODH has noted an uptick in questions about Community Water Fluoridation and has worked to dispel any misinformation. ODH has hosted five water fluoridation training sessions around the state. This is the first water fluoridation training in approximately
14 focus | SPRING 2025 | ISSUE 1
20 years. There were 62 people (water opera- tors, public health, and dental professionals) that attended the trainings, representing 49 public water systems. ODH will be host- ing training sessions after May 1, for dental, medical and public health professionals. Dental professionals may receive questions regarding both water fluoridation and fluo- ride varnish. The ODH fluoridation webpage1 includes educational materials, videos and other resources relating to water fluorida- tion. The ADA2
of Pediatrics I Like My
Teeth.org3
and the American Academy also have
several fluoride resources available. ODH staff are always willing to help educate on water fluoridation. Additionally, through a collaborative effort, DHSS developed a state- ment on water fluoridation which is available upon request by emailing oralhealth@health.
mo.gov.
Currently three communities have started the 90-day notification process to discon- tinue fluoridation: Rolla, Hannibal and Crane. Rolla will hold a final vote after May 15; Hannibal will hold a public vote after May 24 and Crane will host a town hall on June 9
with a vote following the meeting. ODH con- tinues to offer support through educating on the benefits of water fluoridation, answering questions about the notification process and providing data for communities. We hope you can use the information on the next page to share when patients and community members have questions about fluoridation. You also can request a PDF be emailed to you; email
Gwen.Sullentrup@
health.mo.gov.
Thank you to all our partners and collabora- tors. Together, we are making great strides in improving oral health and the oral health workforce for all Missourians and will con- tinue this important work in 2025!
For questions about ODH projects and programs email
oralhealth@health.mo.gov or call 573-751-5874. For all available resources, visit
oralhealth.mo.gov.
REFERENCES
1.
https://health.mo.gov/living/families/oralhealth/ waterfluoridation.php
2.
https://www.ada.org/resources/community-initia- tives/fluoride-in-water/fluoridation-resources 3.
https://ilikemyteeth.org
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