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Monday Roundtable Luncheon
Cris Gilb, MHA, RN, PHN
Executive Director
Minnesota Oral Health Project
Amos Deinard, MD, MPH
Medical Director
Minnesota Oral Health Project
High risk children in Minnesota have limited access to dental care; consequently, prevention of cavities is essential and caries prevention must be offered by other health care professionals. The Minnesota Oral Health Project (MNOHP) was founded to address preventive oral care in the absence of dentists’ willingness to offer care to enrollees of Minnesota Public Health Plans. Strategies of MNOHP include training of Primary Care Medical Providers (PCMP) to implement Childhood Caries Prevention in every primary care medical clinic in Minnesota. Childhood Caries Prevention includes a gross oral evaluation, a risk assessment, anticipatory guidance to caregivers, and quarterly fluoride varnish application. Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN DHS) initially offered reimbursement quarterly for PCMP to apply fluoride varnish during Child and Teen Check-ups (C&TC) examinations. Since March 2018, MN DHS has required the application of fluoride varnish by PCMP in order to qualify for full reimbursement for C&TC exams.
This roundtable discussion will include strategies implemented in Minnesota and how MNOHP penetrated all 80 counties of Greater (rural) Minnesota educating PCMP and caregivers of high-risk children about options for preventive oral care. Data from MN DHS will be shared to evaluate success or challenges of various strategies implemented in Minnesota. The presenting author will query participants to share strategies implemented in other states and success and failures experienced. Ultimately, sharing strategies, successes and challenges will enable professionals in all states to have options that have had proven success.
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