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Colorado Oral Health News – October 2023 – Fall Updates, Framework Engagement, and more!

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A photo of Dr. Maryam Mahmood, Colorado State Dental Director

Letter from the Dental Director

Dear Friends,

We at the Oral Health Unit (OHU) hope that this message finds you well. I’m excited to have this opportunity to address our community partners and connect with a wider audience passionate about oral health. 

I wanted to start with a few updates from the OHU. OHU staff have been visiting several partner sites to see firsthand the wonderful work that is being done and to hear from people on the ground what challenges they are facing. We were lucky enough to visit STRIDE Community Health Center, Tepeyac Community Health Center, Project Worthmore Clinic, and Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. Their implementations of medical-dental integration are exemplary realizations of what can be achieved when all types of health professionals converge around the shared goal of the overall wellbeing of their patients. It was a privilege to see firsthand how they are evolving to meet the challenges and barriers faced by the communities they serve.

The Cavity Free at Three program has also been on the road. The program recently presented training for 80 first-year dental students at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. Students were taught the basic principles of providing preventive oral health services for young children and people who are pregnant to decrease dental disease and reduce oral health disparities among high-risk populations. The OHU is excited to be able to offer this training to the next generation of dentists who will continue this vital work.

Health First Colorado has removed the limit to the amount of benefits for the Adult and the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) state plans. This change does not affect the frequency or types of services covered. For more information, please visit our website.

Lastly, over the past few weeks, the OHU team has been deeply engaged in roundtable discussions with our valued partners and stakeholders within Colorado’s oral health network to discuss the recently released (read the Framework to Advance Oral Health Equity in Colorado here, opens in a new window). New Window IconDecorative icon to indicate a new browser window (opens in a new window) The purpose of these discussions was to hear feedback from our Framework and network partners about the released draft, to align current efforts to advance oral health equity, and to understand how these efforts can converge in meaningful ways around implementation of the strategies listed in the Framework. 

As a follow-up to this work and a key step in engaging with partners in a collective effort to advance oral health equity, we will be hosting community discussions centered around implementation. This outreach will be focused on community-based organizations that are working in the oral health space or who have it in scope to do so. If you have an interest in participating as a community-based organization or know of any partners who would be interested, please let us know by filling out our contact us form New Window IconDecorative icon to indicate a new browser window (opens in a new window) (opens in a new window). We will bring the learnings from these conversations to our network as we work together to advance oral health equity in Colorado.

Thank you all for your work in placing Colorado at the forefront of oral public health. Together, we envision a future where oral health isn’t just a concern for individuals but a shared commitment within our entire community.  

Sincerely,

Dr. Maryam Mahmood's signature

Maryam Mahmood, DMD, MPH

National Updates

  • September is Dental Infection Control Awareness Month – Find New Resources: 

    Dental Infection Control Awareness Month (DICAM) is an annual campaign hosted by the Organization for Safety, Asepsis, and Prevention (read about OSAP. Link Opens in a new window.). DICAM brings awareness to infection prevention and control in dental settings. See stories and resources related to infection control:

News & Hot Topics

  • New Training Requirement for Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-Registered Clinicians

    As of June 27, 2023, DEA-registered dental clinicians must complete a one-time, eight-hour training on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. This training requirement must be fulfilled by the date of the clinician’s next scheduled DEA registration submission. Please review this letter from the U.S. Department of Justice (link opens in a new window) for further information about the guidelines and agencies accredited to provide the required training.
  • Dental Collimator Update

    The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division X-Ray Certification Unit is proposing to remove (strike) provision 6.7.1.5(3)(b) that requires rectangular collimators when performing certain dental imaging procedures. This provision was added during the 2019 rulemaking and has an effective date of January 1, 2025 (under current rule). Due to collimator device availability and implementation concerns needed to meet FDA requirements when using such devices, implementation is not feasible at this time. A guidance document pertaining to the new rule is available here.

    Comments on the proposed changes may be submitted via email to cdphe_CORadRegs@state.co.us on or before October 14, 2023.

    If you have additional questions, you reach Kathy Liberman at 303-692-3446.

Partner Links

  • Pickens Technical College – Oral Health Professional Mentorship Program

    In partnership with the Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, Pickens Technical College is offering a free mentorship program and is looking for mentors and mentees. The mentorship program provides tailored guidance from industry experts, networking opportunities with dental professionals, career development and skill enhancement, and access to valuable resources and research materials.

    If you or someone you know is interested in participating, please email Alyssa Collado at acollado@aurorak12.org New Window IconDecorative icon to indicate a new browser window (opens in a new window).
  • Upcoming Grant Opportunity: CDC RFA – A Cultural Approach to Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country (GHWIC)

    The CDC has announced a new funding opportunity focused on improving the health and well-being of Native American communities. This initiative is titled “A Cultural Approach to Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country” (GHWIC) and is open to projects that aim to achieve three main goals:
  1. Connecting Communities: Projects should incorporate cultural practices chosen by the community itself, with a strong focus on families. These practices should help strengthen bonds within the community, families, and culture while promoting overall wellness.
  2. Healthcare Linkages: Efforts should be made to implement policies, systems, and environmental change (PSE) to create clinical-community linkages (CCLs). This will involve screening and assessment for chronic diseases and their risk factors, such as tobacco use, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and oral health. Referrals should also be made to clinical care, community organizations, or social services for evidence-based programs that help prevent and manage chronic diseases, including self-management and monitoring.
  3. Promoting Wellness: Lastly, the projects should focus on creating programs and enacting PSE changes that not only promote wellness but also prevent diseases. These initiatives should address factors beyond medical care, such as the physical environment, food and nutrition, tobacco policies, and social connections in a culturally sensitive and appropriate manner.

    This funding opportunity will likely open in late December, 2023, with applications being due in late February, 2024. Visit the CDC grant opportunity page New Window IconDecorative icon to indicate a new browser window (opens in a new window) (link opens in a new window) for more information about this and other upcoming grant opportunities. 
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Prenatal, Infant, & Toddler

  • Resource: Fluoride Varnish for Adults: Q & A 

    The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) recently created a new handout addressing common questions regarding fluoride varnish for adults. This resource can be used by medical or dental professionals to help facilitate discussions around the safety, instructions for use, and benefits of fluoride varnish in adults. You can find the Fluoride Varnish for Adults: Q & A handout and provide feedback (link opens in a new window) on the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center website. 
  • Resource: A Healthy Mouth for Every Body Campaign Toolkit 

    The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) released their “A Healthy Mouth for Every Body Campaign Toolkit” this year as a health literacy resource for individuals of all ages. This campaign offers tools on how oral health is connected to overall health, the basics of good oral health, and how oral health risks and priorities can change as we age. These free materials were developed to provide guidance about how to care for you and your family’s oral health across the lifespan; from infancy to old age. You can find the toolkit the HRSA website New Window IconDecorative icon to indicate a new browser window (opens in a new window) (link opesn in a new window). 
  • Cavity Free at Three Team Trains CU Dental Students 

    The OHU would like to thank the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine for allowing the Cavity Free at Three team to come and train the first-year dental students again this year. Professor Deidre Callanan helped arrange and facilitate Cavity Free at Three training for 80 first-year dental students who received Cavity Free at Three certification this August. We were very excited to be able to provide the training in person to students for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. We would like to thank one of our Master Trainers, Laura Jacob, for leading an engaging and enjoyable training with the students. See some photos below!
Four photos show the Cavity Free at Three training at the school of Dental Medicine from August 2024. Pictures include students and presenters.
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School-Age