National Primary Oral Health Conference
Jane Fox, ECHO Project Director, will make a presentation at the National Primary Oral Health Conference in Fort Worth, TX. See abstract below:
Program Title: Models for expanding access to oral health care services for people living with HIV and other underserved populations
Program Objectives:
- Identify key strategies for expanding oral health care services to people living with HIV/AIDS and other underserved populations,
- Describe the role of ancillary services, dental case managers and peer navigators in engaging and retaining underserved patients including PLWHA in oral health care services.
Program Abstract:
The HRSA SPNS Oral Health Care Initiative funds 15 innovative models across the United States to expand access to oral health care services for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and one evaluation/TA center. The program models target underserved populations in rural and urban areas where there is high unmet need for oral health care. The Evaluation Center developed a program typology to highlight key program characteristics such as host agency (AIDS service organizations, community heath centers, and university based medical centers); program models (mobile vans and mobile equipment, locating services in dental hygiene schools, and establishing satellite clinics); service delivery strategies (level of oral health care, dental care coordination) as well as other program characteristics (linkages with medical providers, the provision of ancillary services, transportation and provider and patient education, use of patient navigators or dental case managers). All programs emphasize strategies to outreach, engage and retain PLWHA in oral health care services. This typology can assist program planners, medical and dental care providers with service delivery strategies for addressing the unmet need for oral health care in their area for PLWHA as well as other vulnerable populations.