Networks for oral health integration within the maternal and child health safety net - connecticut (CT) faces significant challenges in the oral health of young children (6 months to 5 years) from…

Networks for oral health integration within the maternal and child health safety net - connecticut (CT) faces significant challenges in the oral health of young children (6 months to 5 years) from low-income households and minoritized backgrounds, with one in four kindergarteners experiencing tooth decay in 2022. The moses/weitzman health system's (mwhs') weitzman institute proposes a project in collaboration with key stakeholders to enhance oral health for this demographic. Objectives include policy improvements (SCF 1), enhancing oral health literacy at federally qualified health centers (SCF 2), conducting social determinants of health surveillance (SCF 3), testing preventive oral health services introduced through well-child visits in 4 demonstration sites (LCF 1), improving oral health literacy at demonstration sites (LCF 2), and building a data infrastructure (LCF 3). State-level activities include environmental scans and interviews, oral health GAP analysis, curriculum development, trainings, and data-driven evaluations. Locally, the focus is on workflow and systems changes to introduce services, refining educational materials with caregivers, and establishing a robust data infrastructure. An alliance of key stakeholders will address challenges collaboratively and includes (in alphabetical order): community health center association of CT, CT dental health partnership, CT dental hygienists' association, CT department of public health, CT department of social services, CT oral health initiative, and mwhs' community health center, INC.