Annual Member Celebration - IOHA 25th Anniversary
Save the date and plan to join us for our Annual Member Celebration and 25th Anniversary party in Boise on Dec. 5. It’ll be a special one! Members—watch your email in November for your annual board member ballot and annual meeting information.
2023 Oral Health Activity/Project Reports Due Dec. 31
Please send reports of the activities that you, your teams, and your communities accomplished this year to help make progress on the 2021-2026 Idaho Oral Health Improvement Plan goals. Use the following link to submit a report every time you do something throughout the year. We want to hear from you! Reports are due by December 31 in order to be included in the 2023 report. https://www.idahooralhealth.org/submit-event/
We hope you find the following resources helpful:
Idaho Resources
Childcare Provider Live Webinar, Oct. 21, in Partnership with IdahoSTARS
The IOHA, in partnership with IdahoSTARS, will present an oral health webinar to all interested childcare providers on Saturday, Oct. 21, 10-1 (Mtn). The live presentation will use Cavity Free Kids curriculum and will be eligible for IdahoSTARS credit. Attendees must have a free IdahoSTARS RISE account and must register in advance. To sign up with IdahoSTARS or register for the seminar, click here.
IOHP/ISDA Webinar on Nov. 13: Improving Adult Oral Healthcare Through Interprofessional Collaboration
The Idaho Oral Health Program (IOHP) and the Idaho State Dental Association (ISDA) are co-hosting this webinar that will offer strategies that dental teams can implement to improve oral health for older adults who may have complex medical histories and increased health risks. Dr. Leonard Brennan, DMD (Harvard School of Dental Medicine) will present evidence-based care guidelines that demonstrate how oral health education can efficiently reduce mouth pain, improve masticatory function, minimize social isolation, and help manage systemic disease in older adults. The seminar runs 6:30-7:30 p.m. (Mtn) and offers 1 ADA CERP. Click here to register. (If you are not an ADA member, you will have to create an account to register for the webinar.)
Community Health Worker Mini-Learning Collaborative on Oral Health on Nov. 16
Idaho State University’s CHW program is hosting its November Mini-Learning Collaborative Zoom meeting on November 16 at 2:00 p.m. (Mtn). Sowmya Natarajan, with the Idaho Oral Health Program, will speak on the importance of oral health. Click here to register.
Delta Dental Expands GrinWell for You Program for Older Adults
Delta Dental of Idaho’s GrinWell for You has expanded the age eligibility for its free dental benefit program and now offers the program to adults between the ages of 26 and 34 and adults age 60 and older. The no-cost dental benefit provides $1850 for one year. Applicants are enrolled quarterly on a first-come first-served basis. Applicants may complete a paper application or use the online application, in both English and Spanish. Visit deltadentalid.com/GrinWell to learn more about the program and eligibility requirements or contact Community Outreach at 1-866-894-3563 with questions.
Pay Off Dental School Debt Through Federal Loan Repayment Program
Do you know of a dental (or medical) student approaching their final year of school who needs help paying off debt? Let them know about the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program. Medical, physician assistant, nursing and dental students can get money for school loans in exchange for serving in a community of need. They can receive up to $120,000, in addition to a competitive salary and benefits, for three years of full-time service or part-time for six years. This year, there is an additional $40,000 supplement for medical students who commit to providing OB/GYN services in a maternity care target area. Deadline to apply for this program is December 7, 2023. The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program is a federal government program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Idaho Blood Pressure Toolkit
The Idaho Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke Prevention Program (within the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare), in collaboration with Dr. Matthew Nelson (a practicing Idaho cardiologist), has created a Blood Pressure Toolkit that provides evidence-based instruction and education on blood pressure measurement for clinical providers at all levels. A certificate of completion is available for all who complete the online requirements. To view the BP Toolkit including a video, click here.
Get Healthy Idaho Resource Update
Get Healthy Idaho has released a new data tool that measures and ranks neighborhood health and well-being across the state. It considers factors like access to healthy food, parks, clean air, and healthcare services to provide a holistic view of community health. The index aims to inform and guide community leaders, health professionals, and policy makers to improve the overall health of Idahoans. Click here to access the index.
National Resources
CareQuest Self-Paced Course on Glass Ionomer Cement: Prevention and Beyond
CareQuest Institute's newest self-paced course — "Glass Ionomer Cement: Prevention and Beyond" — explores ways to use glass ionomer cement (GIC) to improve health outcomes for patients. This 60-minute course highlights how to use GIC for various applications and concludes with an overview of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle — a tool that can help oral health professionals effectively and sustainably integrate GIC into practice. Earn 1 free ADA CERP credit. View the course here.
ADA Report: Fluoride’s Critical Role in Preventing Caries in Adults and Seniors
The American Dental Association released a white paper and executive summary sharing data and insight about the important role of fluoride and a comprehensive approach to oral care for adults and seniors. The results were pulled from an exclusive ADA Vendor Showcase survey conducted on behalf of ACT Professional. Click here to download the paper.
Promoting Oral Health in Schools: Resource Guide
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) has produced a resource guide to provide information about materials for promoting oral health in schools. This topic is of special importance in Idaho, because more and more often, oral health professionals are being denied access to Idaho schools where they have historically provided screenings and preventive care. Click here for the resource guide. Click here for the ORHC resource guide for dental sealants.
We hope you will continue your support of the IOHA by joining us as a member. Annual memberships start every January, but you can join at any time. For more information or to pay your dues, visit https://www.idahooralhealth.org/membership/
We offer our sincere thanks to our annual corporate sponsors: Delta Dental of Idaho, Eide Bailly, Managed Care North America (MCNA), and the Idaho Oral Health Program.