These are a few of the Kentucky #Oral Health Coalition’s recommendations for the state’s role in improving oral health for all in #Kentucky. My name is Lacey McNary and I represent the KOHC. I work primarily on children’s oral health issues for Kentucky Youth Advocates. The KOHC is a statewide group of over 60 members of diverse backgrounds who are connected by their passion for improving the state’s child health outcomes. These recommendations are just a few highlights of the many approached that could be taken by the state on this issue. We look forward to standing with you and doing our part as well. We are excited that oral health has such a staring role in this initiative and we will work hard to see that the goals are met.

1. Proposals to
Achieve Kentucky
Health Now Oral
Health Goals
Submitted by the Kentucky Oral Health
Coalition
6/19/14

2. Goal: Reduce the percentage of children with
untreated dental decay by 25% and increase
adult dental visits by 10%.

3. Data and Planning
• Ongoing and sustained oral health surveillance (early
childhood, school age, adults, seniors) by State Dental
Epidemiologist
• Develop a regularly scheduled state oral health plan
with data and stakeholders

4. Strengthen and maintain current
programs
• Incentivize and enforce completion and data gathering from
the required kindergarten dental screening
• Provide guidance and support to schools to effectively meet
screening requirements and follow up for parents
• Continue to expand Kentucky’s fluoride varnish program in
health departments by building awareness of the need

5. Medical / Dental Integration
• Encourage and incentivize (reimburse) non-dental
health professionals such as pediatricians and nurses to
apply fluoride varnish and incorporate the national
Smiles for Life Curriculum in their practice.
• Develop and disseminate to fluoride varnish tool kit to
dental and health professionals.

6. Access to Dental Services
• Increase transparency on MCO funding, RFP process,
utilization, access, and quality for dental services
• Allow an enhanced reimbursement for dentists to see
children under age 3 (i.e. 15%)
• Encourage dental professionals to become Medicaid
providers and to locate to rural areas.