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January
5, 2007
Little Rock –Oral health in Arkansas has recently received a boost
in the form of two separate grants, to improve preventive
dental services and to increase oral health workforce
in the state.
January first marks the start of a statewide dental
sealant project. Dental sealants are plastic coatings
painted on the biting surface of children’s back
teeth in order to prevent cavities. They are placed
without need for any injections or drilling and can
be easily done by both dentists and dental hygienists. “Unfortunately,
only 15 percent of children surveyed statewide have
one or more dental sealants,” says Dr. Lynn Mouden,
Director of the DHHS Office of Oral Health.
The new grant from the Daughters of Charity Foundation
will provide funding for education and awareness activities
as well as funding local dental sealant projects. Year
One of the grant will be a pilot project in an area
with exceptionally low dental sealant rates. Year Two
will go statewide to promote dental sealants in what
is being billed as “Seal the State in 2008.” “It
is our hope,” says Dr. Mouden, “that we
can not only improve on the number of children having
dental sealants but also increase awareness among parents
about the importance of this preventive measure. We
know that the combination of dental sealants and community
water fluoridation can prevent virtually all tooth
decay in children.”
A second grant, from the US Health Resources and Services
Administration, will help build oral health workforce
in Arkansas. The components of the 3-year grant include
encouraging minority and rural students to enter dental
careers, promoting access to care for non-English speaking
patients, and bringing dental professionals to practice
in underserved areas of the state.
According to the Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners,
there are only 62 minority dentists out of more than
1,100 licensed in the state. Working with Philander
Smith College and the University of Arkansas at Pine
Bluff, the Office of Oral Health will create opportunities
for minority students to plan careers in dentistry.
Farm Bureau will expand their Medical Applications
of Science for Health (MASH) curriculum in rural school
districts to also include information on dental careers.
Delta Dental Plan of Arkansas will join forces with
the Office of Oral Health to increase awareness about
the Language Line service. For several years, Delta
Dental has offered a free translation service for every
dental office in the state. By calling a toll-free
number from any dental office, non-English speaking
patients can access translation from more than 150
different languages. The workforce grant will expand
awareness about the Delta Dental-funded program so
that patients are aware of the service. Delta Dental
will also expand educational opportunities about the
Prevent Abuse and Neglect through Dental Awareness
(P.A.N.D.A.) program of the Office of Oral Health.
P.A.N.D.A. is a family violence prevention program
that Dr. Mouden started in 1994 and is now in place
in 46 US States and 10 international programs.
Because of the uneven distribution of dentists in
Arkansas, the workforce grant will provide financial
incentives for new dentists and dental hygienists to
come to Arkansas to practice in one of the state’s
community health centers for a minimum of two years. “Because
the average student debt for new dentists is more than
$100,000,” says Dr. Mouden, “this grant
opportunity will give them a chance to get on their
feet while serving those areas with the least access
to dental care.” Dentists participating in
the program will also be required to attend courses
on communicating with patients with disabilities, a
separate portion of the grant in collaboration with
UAMS Partners for Inclusive Communities. Community
Health Centers of Arkansas will use a portion of the
workforce grant to actively recruit dental and dental
hygiene students to come to Arkansas after graduation.
“It is our sincere hope that by improving preventive
dental services and building the dental workforce of
the future,” says Dr. Mouden, “we truly
can work toward optimum oral health for all Arkansans.” |
