NH Oral Health Coalition

March 2024. Educational Programming on the NH Smiles Medicaid Adult Dental Benefit providing information on the benefit, how to access care, the numbers and populations served, and the challenges moving forward. Attendees included the public, oral health program staff and providers, legislators, and others. April/May/June 2024. Water Quality Award Luncheons for local communities that achieved optimal community fluoride levels as designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The programs were held at 7 locations throughout the state and attended by the public, town officials, water operators, media, and state agency employees. May 2024. An educational Mini-Summit on the Medicaid Adult Dental Benefit ? NH Smiles held in the community featuring presentations by the Medicaid Dental Director, the benefit administrator, the provider director, the mobile program director, and a response presentation by the leading advocate for those living with disabilities. The program was attended by the public, providers, program managers, human service agencies, and others. October 2024 ?Understanding Inter-State Dental Compacts? webinar - an educational program on the comparability of the 2 leading proposals for interstate compacts supporting the cross-border applicability of dental provider licensure. Emphasis on the role of compacts in increasing dental access for those in rural and underserved parts of the state. Presentations were done by national leaders on the topic. Participants including the public and oral health stakeholders interested in increasing access for care. November 2024. ?The Connection Between Public Health and Water Quality Water Operators Educational Symposium? program on community water fluoridation held in-person at the waterworks educational center in Manchester, NH. The featured speaker was Dr. Johnny Johnson from the American Fluoridation Society with Mr. Jim Kershaw from North Dakota. This program was attended by water operators, town officials, state agency personnel, public health personnel, dentists, hygienists, legislators, and others. Continuing education credits were provided free of charge for water operators. Each attendee received a free copy of Fluoridation Facts published by the American Dental Association. November 2024. Identifying Opportunities and Resources for Setting Up a Community-Based Oral Health Program- NH Public Health Supervision Programs for Dental Hygienists, Concord, NH. This program was held in-person at a local venue. This educational program reviewed all NH laws and regulations relating to the development, approval, and establishment of community-based oral health and dental programs serving the underserved in the community, nursing homes, and school-based settings. Presenters included Coalition staff, state-certified hygienists, and dentists involved in community-based services. Additionally, different program designs were presented to identify the importance of meeting local community needs. Attendees included hygienists, dentists, program managers, and state agency staff. December 2024. Annual NH Oral Health Forum and first Annual Board Meeting, in-person held in Plymouth, NH. ?NH?s Oral Health Landscape ? Challenges and Opportunities Across the Lifespan?, this program is an annual event and focuses on the latest in programs, services, and infrastructure, local and national, that serves to provide care and increase access to the underserved throughout the state. The program started with a national speaker from Harvard University and was followed by local presenters and providers focusing on local solutions. The program was well attended and included the public, dental providers, program providers, public health professionals, related students, and others. Current hygiene and dental products and supplies were displayed. The ?Alphonse J. Homicz Legacy Award? was presented to a NH dentist that serves his local community with commitment to the underserved.