Alaska dental preventive and clinical support program - the alaska dental preventive and clinical support center is a part of the alaska native tribal health consortium (anthc)

The Department of Health and Human Services Indian Health Service awarded the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium $2.275 million on December 1, 2025, under the Demonstration Projects for Indian Health program (CFDA 93.933) to support the Alaska Dental Preventive and Clinical Support Center.

The Alaska Dental Preventive and Clinical Support Center, operating within ANTHC, delivers educational opportunities and technical support to Alaska Area Tribal Health Organization dental programs. The center's core activities include education of dental health aides, continuing education for existing Alaska tribal health organization dental providers and staff, and recruitment of students into dental provider roles. The center targets a ten percent increase in culturally competent American Indian/Alaska Native providers working in Alaska tribal health organization dental programs through dental health aide educational opportunities. Additional objectives focus on maintaining quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of Alaska Area tribal health organization dental programs through increased interactions, communications, and continuing education credits offered annually, and on maintaining alignment with Indian Health Service priorities and activities.

ANTHC, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization formed in December 1997, manages statewide health services and programs for Alaska Native and American Indian people. Its 15-member board represents tribal health organizations across the state serving over 150,000 American Indian/Alaska Native people representing 229 federally recognized tribes. The Alaska Dental Preventive and Clinical Support Center has operated for 25 years within ANTHC.

The award period runs through November 30, 2030, with place of performance in Alaska.

The anthc was formed in december 1997 as a nonprofit IRS 501(c)(3) organization to manage statewide health services and programs for alaska native and american indian people. The anthc 15-member board of directors represents all the tribal health organizations across the state serving over 150,000 american indian/alaska native (AI/an) people statewide and representing 229 federally recognized tribes. The alaska dental preventive and clinical support center at anthc has been in existence for 25 years and hopes to build on the foundation IT has created. The main goal of the alaska support center is to ensure that the services of the alaska dental preventive and clinical support center meets the needs of alaska area tribal health organization (THO) dental programs, by providing support, guidance, and educational opportunities. The alaska support center will accomplish this goal by focusing on three main objectives: increase the number of culturally competent an/AI providers working in alaska tribal health organization dental programs by 10% by providing educational opportunities for dhas; maintain the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of alaska area THO dental programs through increased interactions and communications as measured by the number of meetings and continuing education credits offered annually by the alaska support center; and maintain the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the alaska area's work on indian health service priorities and activities. The main activities of the alaska support center revolve around providing educational opportunities. These involve education of dental health aides and continuing education opportunities for existing alaska THO dental providers and staff. There will also be a focus on recruitment of students to become dental providers. The focus on education is due to the research showing that increasing the number of days a dental health aide therapist spends in a village, the individuals in that village have improved health outcomes. Specifically, both children and adults receive more preventive care and have fewer extractions. Additionally, the alaska support center will work to collaborate with the indian health service (IHS) division of oral health to support IHS priorities. This will continue to be demonstrated through participation with initiatives such as the basic screening survey, supporting gpra data submission, a focus on early childhood caries, and supporting chap nationalization efforts through committee participation. The main work of the alaska support center is to meet the needs of alaska THO dental programs. At the 2025, alaska area dental meeting the support center will complete a needs assessment of the alaska THO dental directors. If additional priorities are identified the alaska support center may add additional priorities. The alaska support center has a 25-year history of working with alaska THO dental programs to meet their needs. The goal for the 2026-2030 grant cycle is to be flexible, innovative, and collaborative. The alaska support center will continue to focus on collaboration with tribal, state, and national partners to improve oral health outcomes for AI/an individuals.