Oral Health
News & Updates
- IOHA Provider Seminar on Sept. 13: A Panel Discussion on Emergency Departments and the Oral Health Needs of Walk-In Patients
Panelists include: Jodie Callison, DMD, Terry Reilly Health Services; Kerry Fuller, BS, CHW, Saint Alphonsus Health System; Ernest Meshack-Hart, DDS, FAGD, Terry Reilly Health Services; Charles H. Washington III, MD, St. Luke's Emergency Department. No pre-registration required. Click here at noon (Mtn) on September 13 to join the Zoom webinar. Passcode is IOHA. The session is the last of an 8-part series titled: Putting the Mouth Back in the Body: How Oral Health Affects Whole Patient Care. Our thanks to the SW Idaho Area Health Education Center (AHEC) for managing the free CME.
- SDF (Silver Diamine Fluoride) Now Covered Under Idaho Dental Medicaid
As of July 1, Idaho dental Medicaid coverage now includes reimbursement for Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF). The reimbursement code is D1354 and can be utilized for children or adults. The reimbursement rate is per member per tooth, not to exceed two applications per tooth in a 12-month period. Other new coverages/changes include administration of HPV vaccinations, new procedure codes including D4346, and changes to services for dental anesthesiologists. For additional information, visit the MCNA website and access the provider manual.
- Childcare Provider Live Webinar, Oct. 21, in Partnership with IdahoSTARS
The IOHA, in partnership with IdahoSTARS, will present a webinar to all interested childcare providers on Saturday, Oct. 21. The live presentation will use Cavity Free Kids curriculum and will be eligible for IdahoSTARS credit. Attendees must have a free IdahoSTARS RISE account and must register in advance. To sign up with IdahoSTARS or register for the morning seminar, https://idahostars.org/.
- Delta Dental Expands GrinWell for You Program for Older Adults
Delta Dental of Idaho has expanded the age eligibility for its free dental benefit program, GrinWell for You. GrinWell for You provides eligible adults 60 and older a dental benefit of $1850 for one year at no cost to them. The new age category covers eligible adults ages 26-34, as this age group is the least likely to have visited a dentist in the past year according to data from the Idaho Oral Health Program. Enrollment is open now and coverage begins October 1, 2023. Applicants are enrolled quarterly on a first come first served basis. Applicants may complete a paper application or use the new online application, in both English and Spanish. Visit deltadentalid.com/GrinWell to learn more about the program and eligibility requirements or contact Community Outreach at 1-866-894-3563 with questions.
- Delta Dental of Idaho Creates New Oral Health Grant Program
Delta Dental of Idaho’s passion and purpose is to improve the oral health of all Idahoans, and they hope to fulfill this mission in part through the new Oral Health Grant Program. Grants may be awarded in amounts between $5,000 to $100,000 for capacity building, capital and equipment, and programs and special projects focused on improving dental infrastructure and workforce capacity in Idaho; improving access to affordable, timely, and high-quality dental health care; and reducing oral disease through education, prevention, and treatment. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) public charities or government entities and their instrumentalities who serve individuals in the state of Idaho. The online application opens October 13, 2023, and closes October 31, 2023. Decisions and awards will be made by the end of December. To preview the application and funding guidelines, create an account on the Delta grant management system grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=ddoi.
- SW Idaho Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Accepts Scholar Applications through Sept. 15
SW ID AHEC is accepting applications for its 2023 - 2025 AHEC Scholars Cohort. The AHEC Scholars Program is a nationally recognized interdisciplinary educational and training program that focuses on preparing a diverse, culturally competent healthcare workforce specializing in rural and underserved areas. Recipients will have access to top-notch curriculum developed by the University of Washington School of Medicine and the SW ID AHEC team while engaging with rural and underserved communities alongside a cohort of up to 30 of their peers from multiple health profession fields across the entire state. Upon completion of the program, students earn a nationally recognized certificate, as well as a $1,000 stipend. The program is completely free to students. Apply by September 15, 2023 at https://redcap.iths.org/surveys/?s=A78DNK4KFJMDEA7H
- Idaho-sponsored 5-Part HVP Webinar Series
The American Cancer Society, Idaho State University, and the Idaho Immunization Coalition will present a 5-part virtual webinar series to educate providers and healthcare staff on the importance of the HPV vaccine. Participants will gain knowledge around HPV infection/disease, HPV vaccination recommendations, and ways to successfully communicate with parents about the vaccine. Webinars will be held 1-2 p.m. (Mtn) on Sept. 6, 20; Oct 4, 18, and Nov. 1. Register at https://forms.office.com/r/Xje1Z1Pcgf
- Success: Idaho Oral Health Conference and IOHA 25th Anniversary
Thanks to everyone who attended the IOHA 25th Anniversary Celebration on Aug. 10, and the Idaho Oral Health Conference on Aug. 11 co-presented by the IOHA and the Idaho Oral Health Program. Both were wonderful events highlighted by the gathering of oral health champions from inside and outside the dental profession and from across the state. Special guests included Congressman Simpson and Dr. Jennifer Palagi from the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. Anniversary sponsors included Willamette Dental Group, MCNA, and PacificSource Health Plans, and the conference sponsor was Delta De
- Send 2023 Oral Health Event/Project Reports
It’s time to start sending reports of the activities that you, your teams, and your communities accomplished this year to help make progress on the 2021-2026 Idaho Oral Health Improvement Plan goals. Use the following link to submit a report every time you do something throughout the year. We want to hear from you! Reports are due by December 31 in order to be included in the 2023 report. https://www.idahooralhealth.org/submit-event/
- New Idaho State Dental Association Executive Director
The IOHA offers a hearty welcome to new ISDA Executive Director Pat Morris, MPA. Pat has more than two decades of senior association leadership, is a former Marine officer, worked in the U.S. Senate, and was selected for the prestigious Presidential Management Fellowship Program. He most recently served as the executive director of the International Bluegrass Music Association. Our thanks to Mike Mitchell who served as the interim executive director for the last six months.
- Vaccine Requirements Removed for Head Start Programs
On June 26, 2023, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued its Final Rule Removal of the Vaccine Requirements for Head Start Programs in the Federal Register. It removes the COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirements that were originally included in the November 2021 Interim Final Rule with Comment Period. Specifically, this Final Rule removes the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) requirement that all Head Start staff, contractors whose activities involve contact with or providing direct services to children and families, and volunteers working in classrooms or directly with children are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. The HSPPS requirement that staff who are exempt from vaccination have “at least weekly” COVID-19 testing is also removed.
- IOHA Membership Renewal Time
It’s time to pay your 2023 IOHA membership! To pay your dues, visit: https://www.idahooralhealth.org/membership/ Members receive discounts for IOHA events like the 25th anniversary celebration to be held on Aug. 10, 2023!
- Idaho Dept. of Health & Welfare: Idaho Library Telehealth Project Virtual Presentation
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Behavioral Health has created a 15-minute presentation that provides a general overview of telehealth, the new library program, and a list of libraries that are participating.
Webex meeting recording: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/e8r2gnzfenb5m8m6g3bjs/h?dl=0&rlkey=3k973cv2wa65e9lfxq5p224vs
Password: Telehealth1!
- ADA’s Health Policy Institute Releases Interactive U.S. Dentist Workforce Dashboard
The ADA Health Policy Institute has long tracked the state of the U.S. dentist workforce. Now, for the first time, dentist demographic data from 2001 to 2022 is available in one interactive too. Information includes demographic data by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and state.
https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/us-dentist-demographics.
- Idaho Added to National 100 Million Mouths Campaign
Congratulations to Colleen Stephenson, RDH-ER, MS, who was selected as Idaho’s first representative for the 100 Million Mouths Campaign (100MMC). The 100MMC, created within Harvard University’s Center for Integration of Primary Care and Oral Health, will train fifty oral health education champions over the next decade, one in each state, to work with health profession schools and programs to integrate oral health into their curricula to bridge gaps in oral health access. Stephenson, a clinical associate professor and Community Outreach Coordinator for the Idaho State University Dental Hygiene Department, will work in tandem with the Idaho Oral Health Alliance, which also has an initiative to educate Idaho medical providers on the importance of oral health to whole health.
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