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Colorado Oral Health News Fall 2025

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Message from the Oral Health Unit

Dear friends and oral health champions, 

We start this newsletter with some exciting news! We are thrilled to announce Jenni Lansing as Colorado’s new State Dental Director. Ms. Lansing brings extensive experience and a passion for oral public health to her new role. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene, a dual master’s in Public Health and Business Administration, and the Certified in Public Health credential from the National Board of Public Health Examiners. 

Ms. Lansing joined the Oral Health Unit (OHU) in 2017 and has supported a wide range of oral health and public health programs and efforts, including statewide workforce development and prevention-focused initiatives, and has developed a deep understanding of Colorado communities and the state’s oral health landscape. She has served as a leader in the oral health network, leading Colorado’s Community Water Fluoridation program and Rapid Response Team, acting as a Cavity Free at Three master trainer, the state Dental Hygienist Liaison to Head Start, and co-chair of the Colorado Cancer Coalition HPV Vaccination Task Force. The OHU is honored to have her lead the OHU and Colorado’s oral health network in this important role, and we invite our partners to engage with Jenni in her new role.  

Additionally, as the summer comes to a close and fall begins, students begin to return to school. We are reminded of all the good work that has been done across the state. We are grateful to our school-based oral health partners, including Regional Oral Health Specialists and community health centers, who serve as oral health experts and champions in their communities. During the 2024-25 school year, the OHU identified that at least 375 schools in Colorado had access to preventive oral health services, like fluoride varnish and dental sealants. The OHU recognizes the impact of targeted public health efforts in preventing disease and improving access to care, and strives to strengthen collaborations with local public health agencies and safety-net health partners. If you want to include your connection with local schools in the OHU’s count or identify opportunities to connect with schools in your area, please reach out to the OHU.
The OHU welcomes Jenni’s vision, energy, and expertise to the role of State Dental Director, and with your partnership, we will continue driving meaningful change to build healthier communities.  Please stay tuned to our newsletter and the Colorado oral health website to hear more from Ms. Lansing as she takes on her new role.

News & Hot Topics

Colorado Public Health Association Training Series

The Colorado Public Health Association (CPHA) offers a curated series of training sessions that provide evidence-based insights and practical strategies to help create a more inclusive public health system. Topics include Black maternal and infant mortality, the political determinants of brain health, policy frameworks, community resilience during funding crises, and more. CPHA members can attend for free, and non-members are welcome to join for a nominal fee of $5.

New CareQuest Course on Minimally Invasive Care Procedures

The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health’s self-paced Innovative Pediatric Dental Care: Exploring Minimally Invasive Procedures course is available online for free and provides one continuing education credit. The course provides information on minimally invasive care interventions for pediatric populations.

Head Start Resource: Using Silver Diamine Fluoride on Children’s Teeth Now Available in Multiple Languages

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Head Start and Early Head Start Healthy Habits for Happy Smiles silver diamine fluoride (SDF) handout is now available in multiple languages including Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Persian, Somali, and Spanish. View and download the resource.

Free Continuing Education Training Opportunities Available

The OHU offers two free continuing education training opportunities. The Colorado Teledental Roadmap training is available on-demand on Colorado TRAIN. Visit the OHU’s teleORALhealth webpage to learn more. A live behavioral health and oral health integration (BOHI) training facilitated by OHU staff is also available. See the OHU’s BOHI webpage to learn more.

Colorado Sunset Dental Practice Act

The Dental Practice Act Sunset Bill (SB25 194) was signed into law on May 5th, 2025. More information about the bill can be found on the Colorado Dental Association’s website.

Stories from the Field

Garfield County Public Health and Community Health Services Aspen Participate in School-Based Silver Diamine Fluoride Pilot Study

Garfield County Public Health, in collaboration with Community Health Services Aspen, has operated a Smiles for Students school-based oral health program for 17 years. Recently, they partnered with the Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion at New York University to conduct a pilot study on SDF implementation strategies and integration of SDF into the existing school-based oral health program. The results of the pilot study revealed an increase in the number of patients served, and a decrease in per-child treatment time and labor and supply costs. Read the Garfield County press release and the Journal of Public Health in Practice publication to learn more.

Practice-Based Health Education Grantee Spotlight – Tepeyac Community Health Center

The Practice-Based Health Education (PBHE) Grant helps grow the health care workforce and improve access to care in a variety of ways. One key approach is by expanding opportunities for clinical training. The grant supports funding for preceptor hours, making sure that experienced staff who train students are fairly compensated for their time and expertise. This hands-on mentorship is crucial, it not only builds students’ skills but also helps them grow into confident, capable health care professionals.

One great example of this in action is Tepeyac Community Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center that’s made huge strides with its preceptor model. Tepeyac created the Clinical Rotation Training Program, which provides structured, preceptor-led training specifically for Spanish-speaking and bicultural students and residents. The program serves students in a range of health care fields—medicine, nursing, physician assistant programs, pharmacy, and dentistry—and has a meaningful impact on both the students and the community. Since 96% of Tepeyac’s patients identify as Latine, having culturally and linguistically aligned care makes a real difference.

What makes Tepeyac’s program truly unique is its focus on whole-person health and cross-training. No matter what field a student is in, they spend part of their rotation with dental preceptors. This ensures that all students gain a basic understanding of oral health, which is a vital part of overall wellbeing. For many patients, especially in underserved communities, their primary care clinician or nurse might be the only health care professional they see. By giving students a broader understanding of care, Tepeyac is helping them become better, more holistic providers, who are better equipped to meet the real-world needs of the people they serve.

Partner Links

Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention On-Demand Training Available

The Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention offers a free on-demand training opportunity about safe opioid prescribing and pain management. The 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Oral and Dental Pain is available for one continuing education (CE) credit. View additional courses available on the Consortium’s website.

Health First Colorado Billing and Procedure Training Opportunities

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) offers free provider training opportunities. All sessions are held via webinar on Zoom, and training session availability varies each month. Available courses include provider enrollment, billing training, and provider-specific training. View the upcoming training schedule and available resources, and learn more about available training opportunities on the HCPF website. Provider enrollment resources are also available on HCPF’s Provider Enrollment webpage.

Association for Dental Safety Antibiotic Stewardship for Oral Health

The Association for Dental Safety (ADS) offers resources for prescribers, dental teams, policymakers, and patients. Visit the ADS website to view slides and recordings from past Antibiotic Stewardship summits and access free continuing education training opportunities.

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