Project Grant UK753027

NETWORKS FOR ORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION WITHIN THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SAFETY NET - TO ADDRESS THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH (MCH) NEEDS OF PUERTO RICO, THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE AT THE MEDICAL SCIENCES CAMPUS IS SUBMITTING THIS PROPOSAL TO THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION. THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS MCH-IMPROVING ORAL INTEGRATION (MCH-IOHI) DEMONSTRATIVE PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO PREVENTIVE ORAL HEALTH CARE AND ORAL HEALTH EQUITY AMONG MCH POPULATIONS LIVING IN COMMUNITIES UNDERSERVED BY ORAL HEALTH CARE IN THE ISLAND. THE PROJECT'S PLAN EMPHASIZES EVIDENCE-BASED TOOLS, ENHANCED STATE-LEVEL POLICIES, AND INCREASED ORAL HEALTH AWARENESS THROUGH TARGETED TRAINING AND OUTREACH. THE PROPOSED MCH-IOHI PROJECT AIMS TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING GENERAL OBJECTIVES: (1) BY JUNE 2028, 85% OF THE MCH-IOHI PROJECT TEAMS WILL REPORT ENHANCED POLICY AND/OR SCOPE OF PRACTICE AIMED TO INCREASE ACCESS AND USE OF INTEGRATED PREVENTIVE ORAL HEALTH CARE; (2) BY JUNE 2028, MCH-IOHI PROJECT TEAMS WILL REPORT INCREASED ORAL HEALTH AWARENESS AMONG 85% OF THE HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE TARGETED FOR ORGANIZATIONAL ORAL HEALTH LITERACY TRAINING AND OUTREACH; (3) BY JUNE 2028, 85% OF THE MCH-IOHI PROJECT TEAMS WILL IMPLEMENT STATE-LEVEL ORAL HEALTH SURVEILLANCE ENHANCEMENTS AIMED TO IMPROVE TREND ANALYSIS AND, (4) BY JUNE 2028, 100% OF PARTICIPATING PRIMARY CARE SETTINGS WILL IMPLEMENT AN EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL OF CARE AIMED TO INTEGRATE PREVENTIVE ORAL HEALTH CARE AND PRIMARY CARE SERVICES, TO INCLUDE PRIMARY CARE CLINIC WORKFLOW MODIFICATIONS, PROVIDER TRAINING, AND DENTAL REFERRAL TRACKING. THIS INITIATIVE WILL ACTIVELY COLLABORATE AS AN ALLIANCE WITHIN THE EXISTING ORAL HEALTH COALITION WITH KEY COLLABORATORS, SUCH AS THE PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATION, THE HEAD START PROGRAMS, THE MATERNAL CHILD AND ORAL HEALTH DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND OTHER PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ENTITIES RELATED TO THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH (MCH) POPULATION. THE PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES IN THE F OLLOWING CORE FUNCTIONS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS: (1) ENHANCED POLICY AND SCOPE OF PRACTICE, (2) OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, AND (3) DATA ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION. THE PROJECT WILL CONVENE A GROUP OF EXPERTS AND AGENCIES IN MCH CARE IN PUERTO RICO TO DEVELOP THE NECESSARY STRATEGIES TO OPTIMIZE ORAL HEALTH CARE. IT WILL ALSO HAVE REPRESENTATION AT THE MCH-IOHI CONSORTIUM, WHICH WILL DEVELOP TOOLS FOR A STANDARDIZED IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTIVE ORAL HEALTH CARE STRATEGIES IN PRIMARY CARE SERVICES FOR MCH POPULATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, IT WILL PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE TO MONITOR AND ANALYZE TRENDS IN SERVICES AND AVAILABILITY OF PROVIDER DATA, OFFERING THE NECESSARY FOUNDATION FOR ADEQUATE AND TIMELY DECISION-MAKING AND ACTIONS.