Ohnmar Tut, BDS, MPhil: No financial relationships to disclose
Description: The US territory of Guam’s maternal and child health (MCH) program selected the national performance measure (NPM) on oral health that focuses on preventive dental visits for children and adolescents as one of its Title V NPMs. In 2022 the public health agency’s remaining dental staff retired. Facing a continuing oral health need among its children and wishing to maintain the NPM on oral health for FY’23 even with no workforce was a challenge. Guam MCH and public health leaders sought assistance from the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC). What could be done? Who would do it? This presentation will describe how the Guam MCH director and ASTDD/OHRC consultant and the MCH Director (an oral health champion) developed an MCH oral health plan for 2023 that focused on integrating oral health into “sister” programs like well-baby/WIC clinics and school health programs, and training 40-60 non-dental public health staff on oral health risk assessment, teaching proper oral hygiene care and the application of fluoride varnish. This partnership exemplifies that oral health is an integral component of primary care.
Source of Funding:: Funding for technical assistance to Guam was provided by Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration. Funding was provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cooperative Agreement 6 NU58DP006573-04-02.
