The Challenge
Best Practices & Projects
The Citizens' Watch for Oral Health supports other oral health initiatives throughout the state. Here is a listing of some other current efforts.
Washington State Oral Health Coalition
The Coalition consists of more than 40 organizations, promotes oral health at the state and local levels, and sponsors an annual conference for oral health advocates from around the state. In 1995, the Coalition along with other supporters successfully advocated for increased Medicaid funding, resulting in $42 million to increase dental benefits for children. This group is the core oral health advocacy group. The Coalition, in partnership with the state Department of Health, developed tools and support systems for local communities including the community roots list serve, Community Roots for Oral Health: Guidelines for Coalition Building and Web site.
Washington Dental Service and Washington Dental Service Foundation
Washington Dental Service and Washington Dental Service Foundation work to improve oral health around the state through prevention, community outreach, advocacy and research programs. Most visible has been their SmileMobile and Cavity Free Kids programs along with the Citizens' Watch for Oral Health. The Oral Health Resource Center provides links to education materials, contacts and community efforts across the state.
Access to Baby and Child Dentistry Programs
ABCD was formed by dentists, dental educators, public health agencies, the state dental association, and State Medicaid representatives to address the problem of the severe lack of dental access by Washington State's high-risk preschool children. It has won national awards for innovation. ABCD focuses on preventive and restorative dental care for Medicaid-eligible children from birth to age six, with emphasis on enrollment by age one. It is based upon the premise that starting dental visits early will yield positive behaviors by both parents and children, thereby helping to control the caries process and reduce the need for costly future restorative work.
Kids Get Care (KGC)
Kids Get Care (KGC) is a program of Public Health - Seattle & King County (PHSKC) and the King County Health Action Plan (KCHAP). The program links children to a health care home for preventive services and primary care regardless of their insurance status.
The KGC Oral Health Program is building an integrated regional and prevention-oriented delivery system for children's oral health care in King County. To reach populations of need, the program partners with Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in outreach and scanning efforts. It educates primary care medical providers and staff about oral health preventive services, trains them to do risk assessments and develops collaborative referral relationships with private sector dentists who serve Medicaid children.
University of Washington, School of Dentistry
The Department of Pediatric Dentistry has long recognized that socioeconomic factors, utilization of services, and parental knowledge impact children's oral health. Ongoing collaboration with medical providers can create a new access pathway to help vulnerable families achieve good oral health. University of Washington and community partnerships include: South Park Community Center/School of Nursing/Husky Smiles, Wonderland Birth to Three Developmental Center/DECOD/Reach Out and Read/American Academy of Pediatrics, Street Links Van Project/SPARKS.
Washington State Dental Association
Washington State Dental Association is involved in advocacy programs to promote good oral health, including: Anti-Spit Tobacco program aimed at junior high students; Take-A-Bite program to promote preventive dental care to the general public through radio spots and informational kits; 3-Point Play for Oral Health and Safety, an educational program for children and; National Children's Dental Health Month activities in schools and on the radio.
Washington State Dental Hygiene Association
The Washington State Dental Hygiene Association, in coordination with dental hygiene education programs and local component groups, organize screenings, sealants and restorative clinics each February and March.
