The document discusses integrating oral health into overall health care in Virginia by improving access to dental services, educating medical and dental providers on the links between oral and overall health, and increasing collaboration between medical and dental professionals. It provides an overview of current oral health access and programs in Virginia, the associations between oral and overall health, and opportunities to advance medical-dental collaboration through education, changes to practice environments, and policy initiatives.

1. Integrating Oral Health into
Overall Health in Virginia
Katherine Libby
November 2013

2. Today:
•
•
•
•
Oral health access in Virginia
Oral health and overall health
Medical and dental collaboration in Virginia
Opportunities moving forward

4. Oral Health Access in Virginia
• Private practice dentists
• Dental safety net
– Free Clinics
– Community Health Centers
– VDH Clinics**
• VDH programs
– School-based sealant programs
• Mobile clinics
• MOM projects/Give Kids a Smile
• Primary care providers

5. Oral Health and Overall Health
Associations:
– Failure to Thrive
– Diabetes
– Premature Birth
– Heart Disease
– Osteoporosis
– Stroke
– Alzheimer’s

6. Skating to where the puck is going…

7. Virginia Oral Health Coalition
Integrating oral health into all aspects of health
care – striving to improve oral health and overall
health outcomes
“Make no little plans. They have no Magic to stir Men's blood.”
- - Daniel H Burnham

8. ORAL HEALTH IN VIRGINIA
A SYSTEMS CHANGE APPROACH
Provider Collaboration
Public Awareness
Medical and Dental providers
and educators understand the
links between oral health and
overall health and work
together to ensure oral health
is considered part of a patient’s
overall health
Virginians know that oral
health is essential to overall
health
OPTIMAL
ORAL
HEALTH
Patient Care
Payment & Reimbursement
The prevalence of dental
disease is reduced in Virginia
through prevention activities
and early diagnosis and
treatment
Virginians have access to quality,
affordable, comprehensive dental
coverage

9. Medical and Dental Collaboration

10. What’s Really Going On?
• Professional Education and Training
– Future providers
• Oral health curriculum (Smiles for Life, VT/Carilion)
• Interprofessional learning opportunities for students

11. What’s Really Going On?
• Professional Education and Training
– Existing providers
• Oral health continuing education at professional
association conferences
• In-office trainings for pcps and staff to incorporate oral
health prevention services and dental referrals into
practice
• Virginia Dental Home Initiative
– Age one dental visit
– Pregnant women
– Individuals with developmental disabilities

12. What’s Really Going On?
• Practice Environment
– Referrals
– Health IT
– Oral heath in patient centered care
• Webinar: How medical professionals can better address
adult oral health
– Oral health and chronic disease management
• VCC, Daily Planet
• Data

13. What’s Really Going On?
• Teledentistry
• Long-Term Care
• Policy Initiative
– Dental benefits for pregnant women enrolled in
Medicaid, FAMIS, FAMIS MOMs

14. What Does This Really Mean?
• Emergent health care workforce that has
knowledge and skills to provide comprehensive
care that includes oral health
– Jefferson College of Health Sciences PA Program
• Early oral health prevention services and dental
referrals provided to children visiting pcp
– Avg. 5-8 opportunities in first three years of life
• Policy to improve access to oral health services
for pregnant women
– 17,023

15. What Do You Know About?
What’s next?
How do you
learn?
Who do you
share info
with?
What are you
doing?

16. Things To Share…
• Virginia Dental Home Initiative Trainings
– Age one dental visit
– Pregnant women
– Individuals with developmental disabilities
• Legislative Day
– TBD
• VDA webinar
– March 2014