The Weekly Wednesday Update is our newsletter which we email every Wednesday with oral health, health and policy updates from around the state and nationally.

To view past issues click here.

 

July 24, 2024
Volume 15, Issue 26

 

Begin with a Grin: Boosting Oral Health Confidence in Garden City

In a recent workshop titled "Begin with a Grin," Kathy Hunt led an engaging session for 23 medical providers and health educators in Garden City representing nine different organizations. The workshop focused on enhancing participants' knowledge of oral health and practical skills, particularly in applying fluoride varnish.

Attendees left feeling more confident in integrating oral health practices into their medical appointments and health education efforts, aiming to improve overall patient care and oral health status  in the community. One participant told us, “I feel fully supported to begin this (including oral health in my practice). Thank you!”  

This workshop was supported by the Western Kansas Community Foundation. If you are interested in having a “Begin With a Grin” training in your community, please visit our website for more information or contact Kathy at khunt@oralhealthkansas.org.

 

 

Marking the ADA Anniversary with New Resources

This week marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Signed into law on July 26, 1990, the ADA protects people with disabilities from discrimination in all aspects of public life, including health care, jobs, school, and transportation. The goal of the ADA is to ensure people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as people without disabilities. Those rights and opportunities extend to a wide range of aspects of life and service systems.

Oral Health Kansas’ Lived Experience Advisory Group is made up of individuals with disabilities and their family members. One of the group’s goals is to help dental providers learn about the challenges they face in accessing dental care. This summer the Advisory Group prepared a summary of some of the service systems they must navigate in order to access all of the different types of supports and services they need. It is designed for dental offices to help families with referrals they may need such as access to healthy foods or mental health. It is also a way for dental offices to understand the myriad systems people work with. We are sharing the guide for families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the ADA’s anniversary in recognition of the many ways it is important to ensure people with disabilities to have barrier-free access to what they need.

 

 

Primary Election Voting Has Begun

It’s hard to escape the fact that the election season is well underway. In Kansas, the primary election will be held on Tuesday, August 6, and early voting is already taking place.

You can use Kansas Secretary of State’s website to check your voter registration status, find your polling place, and view a sample of your ballot for the August 6 Kansas primary election: https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView

 

 

 

2024 Congressional Elections: New Poll & Advocacy Toolkit

New national polling data shows that Americans support including dental coverage in Medicare, for adults in Medicaid, and for Veterans. The poll was commissioned by CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN).*

The key findings in the poll were decisive:

• Nine out of ten voters (92%) support including a dental benefit in Medicare.
• Three out of four voters (74%) support offering adult dental coverage under Medicaid.
• Nine out of ten voters (91%) support providing dental coverage for more veterans.

Oral Health Kansas and our partners have been advocating for each of these policy changes for several years, and this new polling data shows that voters strongly favor dental coverage in the federal health insurance programs.

OPEN created an advocacy toolkit to help voters talk with Congressional candidates about the importance of Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans dental coverage. The toolkit contains sample email messages, social media posts, and questions to ask at candidate forums.

In Kansas all four of our U.S. House seats are up for election. If you are reaching out to candidates for the four Congressional seats, consider using the advocacy toolkit to raise the issue of federal coverage of dental care. If you have any questions, contact Oral Health Kansas at info@oralhealthkansas.org

*Oral Health Kansas is funded by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and is a member of the OPEN network.

 

Your Back to School "To Do List"

Families have been preparing for back to school: supply list, clothes shopping, and haircuts, but don’t forget to make that dentist appointment. This is a good time to set up dentist appointments and get new toothbrushes. We heard a parent say, “My son gets a dental screening at school. Why do I need to make an appointment?” Yes, we’re happy that some schools are able to do dental screenings throughout the school year but that is not the same as a dentist appointment. Sometimes the provider checking your child’s teeth may not see any issues and that’s great! But still set up a dentist appointment to have a thorough check-up. Making a back to school dental appointment also helps you get your child comfortable with going to the dentist and creating a relationship with your dental provider.

Oral health for your child is so important, and if your child has dental problems they can disrupt a school day. If your child is experiencing tooth pain it could also lead to infections if not taken care of, and he may not be able to concentrate at school or be able to eat. Here are some ways to prevent oral health issues:

• Brush with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day for 2 minutes and floss daily.
• Limit sugary snacks and beverages to mealtimes.
• Drink fluoridated water.
• Put only water in sippy cups.
• Schedule and attend regular dental checks-ups.
• Check out Tips and Tricks one pagers for information on oral health and kids.
• Visit Super Smiles for Your Child to find different activities you can do with your child, including Beating Brushing Battles!

Click here to find more fun resources!

 

 

Upcoming Events

• Course: An Introduction to Value-Based Care in Oral Health: Moving from Volume to Value, 1 CE. Click here for the course information.
• Self paced courses: Providing Oral Health Care to Autistic Individuals and Caring for Individuals with Disabilities: Practical Considerations for Dental Providers.
• Webinar: Whole Person Care: Interdisciplinary Medical and Oral Health, August 6, 2024 from 12:00pm - 1:00pm CST. Register here.
• Webinar: Through the Al Lens: Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Intelligence on Dental Public Health, August 13 from 2:00pm-3:00pm CST. Register here.
• Save the date! 2024 Conference on Oral Health will be Friday, November 8 at the Kansas State Olathe Campus, 22201 W Innovation Dr., Olathe, KS. Registration opens in August!

If you would like to add your event to this list, email info@oralhealthkansas.org.

 

 

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Last week Judy Johnston, MS, RD, LD capped off her long career in public health with a well-deserved retirement party. Judy retired from the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita where she led health and public health research for many years. She spearheaded oral health research and helped lead the former Wichita Oral Health Coalition. She has been a good friend and enthusiastic supporter of Oral Health Kansas for many years. She was recognized by Oral Health Kansas with the Outstanding Community Leader Award in 2013. Judy has left an indelible mark on public health and oral health in our state, and we will miss her. We wish her the best in her retirement!

 

 

Sugary Drink Display

We have Adult and Children's Sugary Drink Display's available for reservations. These displays are eye catching at exhibits, schools, library, dental offices, clinics and just about anywhere you see them! We only have a limited amount so please sign up soon if you're interested in reserving one. Click here to learn more about sugary drink display reservations!