ABC Program Coordinator CT Dental Health Partnership
Participants should be aware of the following financial/non-financial relationships: . Leigh-Lynn Vitukinas, RDH, MSDH: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Tooth decay, also known as dental caries, is a common and preventable chronic disease among U.S. children. Children and adolescents from low-income families, including those covered by Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), are about twice as likely to have untreated tooth decay as their higher-income peers. State Medicaid programs are required to cover Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) services, including comprehensive oral health care, for all beneficiaries under age 21. These programs play an important role in paying for, providing and managing oral health services, including developing approaches to integrating oral health care with other health services.
The Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (CTDHP), the Dental Plan for HUSKY Health, (CT Medicaid Program), strives to integrate medical and dental success through the ABC Program. This program trains non-dental medical providers (NDMP) in office or virtually to perform oral health assessments and apply fluoride varnish to HUSKY Health children under the age of seven years. Utilizing Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms will spark demand and get parents to ask their NDMP about fluoride varnish. This discussion will discuss the ABC Program and how social media has played a role in our success and growth.
