Director, Div. of Community Oral Health Marshall University
Disclosure(s):
Bobbi Steele, RDH, MPH, CTTS: No financial relationships to disclose
Description: The goal of this project was to establish a comprehensive oral health system of care for those individuals with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) who are in active recovery. During this session, attendees will gain an understanding of the complexities of providing comprehensive dental services to those in active recovery and learn from the experiences of the Recovery with a Smile program. The program provides a comprehensive approach that is integrated into the system of care for those in recovery. It includes establishment of a dental home, education to patients, and elimination of barriers such as stigma, perception, and costs, while providing the whole system of care with technical assistance and support. Data collection is conducted to determine the long-term impact on the success of the recovery process. We found that achieving sustainable recovery requires several years and multiple episodes of treatment involving a diverse panel of professionals including dental providers. To date, Recovery with a Smile has enrolled over 500 clients in the program. Our conclusions are that for those with SUD a complete evolvement into a healthy lifestyle change is necessary for success. Having a healthy mouth and maintaining good oral health is essential to that healthy lifestyle and can reduce the chances of relapse resulting from dental pain and/or treatment. To accomplish this oral health must be an integral part of recovery. Assuring access to care, materials, and education, and eliminating barriers such as stigma and costs are all a part of that treatment.
Source of Funding:: BCBS Highmark Foundation Pallottine Foundation WVDHHR SOR
