COMMUNITY
COALITIONS
COMMUNITY COALITIONS

What is a Community Oral Health Coalition?
The purpose of the coalitions is to promote optimum oral health for all residents. This goal is accomplished through oral health advocacy, public awareness and education. Several Kansas communities have established oral health coalitions to reduce oral disease in young children and students, to increase oral health services in nursing homes, and to conduct oral health education sessions for social service agencies. Community coalitions are linked to and supported by Oral Health Kansas, the statewide coalition. Here are some resources we can provide you!
  • Consultation to work with your community to improve its oral health
  • Share examples from communities that have improved oral health outcomes
  • Links to other communities that are working toward similar goals

Shawnee County Oral Health Coalition
Established in 2015, this community oral health coalition has as its focus children aged birth through three years of age. They adapted the Brush, Book, Bed program from one designed by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use in pediatricians’ offices. The coalition’s vision was to take the program into community-based settings by partnering with existing early childhood home visitation programs. The coalition expanded Brush, Book, Bed in 2017 to TARC, a community developmental disabilities organization. Through this project expansion, families that include a parent and a child with a developmental disability can learn how to create a bedtime routine of brushing teeth and reading books.

In 2016, the Shawnee County coalition convened a group of 15 community organizations to host a series of legislative candidate forums. Deemed a huge success by both the public and the candidates.

Members of the coalition include health departments, dental clinics, Parents as Teachers, school districts, community volunteers. The group meets quarterly for a one hour call.

Contact: Kate Hamiltonhamilton.katej@gmail.com if you are interested in joining the Shawnee County Oral Health Coalition or just want to hear more!

For more information about coalitions, email info@oralhealthkansas.org.



Community Coalition Educational Resources
Click on the video icon to view the video of that topic.

Grassroots Based Mode
6/14/2016


Intro to Power Analysis
8/16/2016

Oral Health Coalitions Engaged in Civic Action
8/21/2018

Coalition Building 101
10/11/2016


Strategic and Action Planning
1/31/2017

Community Assessment
11/29/2016


Advocacy
12/12/2017





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