Seminar - 60 Minutes

From the Bottom Up: Approaches to Improve Oral Health Through Community Engagement

Presenter(s)

• 

  Erin Knoerl, MPH

  Oral Health Unit Manager
  New York State Department of Health
• 

  Bridget Walsh, MPH

  Senior Policy Analyst
  Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy

Community engagement is essential to moving the needle to address and advance oral health across the life course. The engagement of stakeholders across sectors allows a community to identify its unique combination of needs and assets. New York State (NYS) is working with communities on oral health through the 3 I’s: INCORPORATION of oral health into strategic plans and priorities; INTEGRATION of oral health into existing programs and initiatives; and use of INNOVATION in the identification and development of new strategies, programs and initiatives to support oral health. In this session, participants will learn how an advocacy organization is working with communities to inform, engage, and commit to participate in advancing strategies to reduce tooth decay; and how using the community approach, the Department is working with local health departments to improve access to care and evidence-based interventions through the 3 I’s.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the state oral health program’s role in leveraging resources and supports for oral health interventions and improving access to oral health at the community level.
• Gain knowledge of an advocacy organization’s approach to partnering with local health partners to implement an oral health initiative.
• Gain knowledge of strategies implemented by local health departments to increase access to oral health services and to increase oral health provider engagement in public health interventions.
• Create a list of steps to take to engage communities in increasing implementation of oral health interventions at the local level.