Association‌ of‌ State‌ &‌ Territorial‌ Dental‌ Directors

DHL Webinars

Practical Applications of Teledentistry: Expanding Access to Care- As a component of the broader telehealth system, teledentistry serves an important role in reducing barriers that communities and populations face when seeking oral healthcare. Increasing interest in using teledentistry as a tool to connect patients to their oral health provider when they are not in the same location has growing support from a variety of organizations, including organized dentistry and payors. This webinar will serve as a framework for DHLs to understand the goals of teledentistry, equip DHLs with the knowledge of how to explore the rules and regulations of teledentistry in their respective states, and provide insights on teledentistry-related resources. (October 2023)

Making Head Start Program Information Report Data on Oral Health Work for You! - Understanding and analyzing data trends can provide dental hygienist liaisons (DHLs) with important information that can be used to help improve the oral health of Head Start participants. During this session, Dr Harry Goodman will review with participants how to access and use the Office of Head Start Program Performance Report (PIR) oral health data; examine concerning trends and issues that affect the oral health of Head Start participants; and explore strategies state DHLs, regional DHL coordinators, and local Head Start programs can take to improve the oral health of Head Start participants. (July 2023)

Head Start Resources Are Just a Click Away- How easily can you find oral health resources on ECLKC (website) to share with Head Start staff, families, and health professionals? During this webinar you will participate in a guided tour with Sarah Kolo, OHRC communication specialist, exploring ECLKC. She also shares where you can find additional Head Start resources located on the OHRC website. Sarah provides basic tips to find resources, extended techniques for searching, and moves you can use to sign up for newsletters. Sarah is also available for one-on-one appointments if anyone would like further assistance. Sarah Kolo sk22@georgetown.edu (April 2023)

Oral Health Messaging for Children's Dental Health Month - This webinar will identify four oral health messages Head Start programs can use to celebrate National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM). For each message, you will learn about strategies and resources to promote children's oral health in Head Start programs during NCDHM. You will also learn more about the Final Rule on Mitigating the Spread of COVID-19 in Head Start Programs (January 2023)

Advancing Health Equity- Children and families served by Head Start and Early Head Start are especially vulnerable to and disproportionately impacted by health disparities. This webinar builds on the information from the Social Determinants of Health webinar held earlier this year. It will help dental hygienist liaisons (DHLs) understand how one's own values, beliefs, assumptions, and experiences can affect interactions with Head Start staff, children, and families as they address opportunities to promote health equity. To access the recording please contact Kathy Hunt at khunt.dhl@gmail.com. (November 2022).

Additional resources to continue your learning on this topic:

2022 DHL Assessment Results- This webinar topic is focused on the state DHLs' responses to the NCHBHS Year 2 DHL Assessment. This is a tool we ask state DHLs to complete each summer to help us understand what resources are helpful as well as what additional support DHLs would like to have. We also use it to get an overall sense of the success of the DHL project when it comes to providing support to Head Start programs across the nation. DHLs also share stories of their successes and ask for suggestions from the group. (September 2022)

Oral Health in Indian Country- This webinar will share the current state of oral health among children from AIAN communities, identify their unique barriers to care, and offer suggestions on how to respectfully collaborate with AIAN communities in your state to offer support. Current and emerging prevention and treatment strategies and approaches for accessing oral health care will also be addressed. (May 2022)

Social Determinants of Health and Oral Health - This webinar introduces social determinants of health (SDOH), their role in creating oral health disparities, and how Head Start services address SDOH and promote health equity. It also shares resources or materials DHLs can explore to learn more about the issue. (February 2022)

Tips for Getting Your Presentation Accepted and Making it Engaging- This webinar will help build your skills and confidence for meeting one of the requirements in this year's DHL Project workplan, which is to submit a presentation abstract for an in-person or virtual state meeting and then giving the presentation if it is accepted. It also shares resources or materials DHLs can explore to learn more about the issue. (November 2021)

Trauma-Informed Care: Applications to Seeking and Engaging in Oral Health Care – This webinar introduces trauma-informed care and discusses its impact on seeking and receiving health care, especially oral health care. It also shares resources or materials DHLs can explore to learn more about the issue. (September 2021)

DHL 3rd Quarter Meeting - This meeting shared information on the new Region XI and Region XII DHL Coordinator positions, reviewed updates to the DHL website, and facilitated an open discussion on Toothbrushing in Head Start Classrooms as it relates to COVID mitigation strategies. (June 2021)

Oral Health Social Media Campaign - 2021 Social Media Campaign for Head Start Parents and Caregivers: Features messages and graphics for use on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. All of this content is accessible here http://bit.ly/HeadStartASTDD Visitors are encouraged to start by downloading the Social Media Toolkit, which contains all of the sample messages and instructions for using the videos/graphics that are stored on this web portal. (Feb 2021)

Using Oral Health Resources on ECKLC to Support DHL Collaboration PowerPoint Slides - This webinar provides dental hygienist liaisons (DHLs) with an overview of many oral health resources available on the ECKLC website. A virtual tour of ECKLC is included to familiarize DHLs with resources that can be easily accessed. Practical examples of how DHLs can use these resources to support their ongoing collaboration with Head Start and child care programs is included. An update on activities designed to support year-4 DHL project strategies is also included. (November 2018)

Promoting Key Oral Health Messages in Early Childhood Programs PowerPoint Slides- The NCECHW recently developed a presentation titled Oral Health Messages to Share with Parents that outlines five key oral health messages in a simple way that is easy for Head Start and child care parents and staff to understand and remember. Hands-on station activities were also developed to accompany each oral health message. This webinar explained how these oral health messages and station activities can be implemented at parent and staff events. The webinar also provided an overview of NCECHW oral health presentations available to DHLs, explained how they can be downloaded, and reviewed the requirements for using NCECHW presentations. In addition, Michelle Landrum provided an update on current activities that support year 3 DHL project strategies aimed to improve the oral health of pregnant women and children served by Head Start and child care programs. (July 2018)

Brush, Book, Bed The Importance of Bed Time Routines PowerPoint Slides - The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) created the Brush, Book, Bed (BBB) program to improve oral health services in the medical home by linking oral health information with messages about early literacy, sleep, and establishing a regular nighttime routine. This approach has gained popularity as others, including dental hygienists and child care providers, have adapted the program to help educate families. A pilot study, done in collaboration with Reach Out and Read, showed that the pairing the messages of reading a book with brushing teeth is an effective way of encouraging medical professionals to talk about oral health with their patients. The webinar explains how establishing nighttime routines have been shown to help families, including evidence from the Reach Out and Read program, a description of the AAP BBB pilot, and examples of communities that have used the implementation guide to design a BBB project. Several dental hygienist liaisons (DHL) also shared their experiences with utilizing BBB within their state. In addition, Michelle Landrum reviewed the year 3 DHL project strategies to improve the oral health of pregnant women and children served by Head Start and child care programs. She also provided an overview of upcoming changes to the DHL quarterly report form. (December 2017)

Strategies to Increase the Impact of State Dental Hygienist Liaisons PowerPoint Slides - According to a recent survey of dental hygienist liaisons (DHLs), only 19 percent of DHLs feel extremely confident in their role. The webinar provides DHLs with useful, easy-to-implement strategies that can increase the impact of their work. The webinar also provides key information to DHLs to increase their confidence. Topic areas include strategies to increase oral health collaboration, the EPSDT well-child schedule and the dental periodicity schedule, the difference between an oral examination and an oral health screening, and using National Center for Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW) oral health resources and presentations. DHLs' administrative responsibilities are also discussed. (July 2017)

Partnering with Child Care to Improve Oral Health for Children in Early Care and Education Programs PowerPoint Slides - The presentation provides an introduction to the child care landscape and the role of the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC), a collaborative partner of the National Center for Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW), in supporting early care and education (ECE) programs. The presentation shares information about the development of Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards-Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs (3rd ed.) (CFOC3) and special collections, including Oral Health in Child Care and Early Education. The presentation also shares information about the role of child care health consultants (CCHCs) serving ECE programs, including Head Start and it discussed ways that dental hygienist liaisons (DHLs) can partner with CCHCs to improve the oral health of children in ECE programs. (February 2017)

A Review of the Revised Head Start Program Performance Standards Relevant to Oral Health PowerPoint Slides - The revised Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) were released on September 6, 2016. This webinar provides a brief history and overview of the HSPPS and the significance of the revised standards. The presenters describe changes pertaining to oral health-related HSPPS and what these changes mean for Head Start programs and the Dental Hygienist Liaisons who interact with these programs. Additionally, the webinar provides a brief overview of the Program Information Report (PIR) oral health elements and how they relate. (November 2016)

What's  the Head Start PIR and How Can the PIR Be Used for Program Improvement PowerPoint Slides -The Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) provides the most consistent and comprehensive data on Early Head Start and Head Start program services, including oral health, staff, and on the children and families that the programs serve. All Head Start grantees and delegates are required to submit PIR data each year to the Office of Head Start. This webinar identified national oral health related PIR data and annual trends and explored ways to use the PIR for program improvement, including two state models. (June 2016)

Health Manager Networks: A System for Peer-to-Peer Support and NCECHW-Approved Oral Health Presentations PowerPoint Slides-Health Manager Networks are unique communities of practice made up of Head Start and early childhood health services staff. These peer-to-peer professional support groups may offer ongoing opportunities for Dental Hygienist Liaisons to reach leaders across their states. Steve Shuman, a Training and Technical Assistance Specialist in the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness, discussed the benefits of peer-to-peer professional support, how to support professional networks of health services staff and how to reach out to health manager network leaders. In addition, Beth Lowe, an oral health specialist with the National Center for Early Childhood Health and Wellness provided information on a series of presentations that DHLs can use, and reporting requirements for presentations. She also instructed DHLs on where and how the presentations can be downloaded. (May 2016)

Welcome to the New National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness PowerPoint slides - The presentation provides an overview of the Administration for Children and Families' new Early Childhood Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) System, the role of the new regional Head Start health specialists, and the new NCECHW with an expanded focus on serving the child care and Head Start communities. It highlights several of NCECHW's oral health activities focusing on the development and dissemination of educational materials and providing T/TA. The presentation also describes the role of state DHLs and new regional DHL coordinators and provides instructions on the stipend criteria and completing the online quarterly progress reports and reimbursements. (Dec 2015)

Better Oral Health for Kids with Special Needs PowerPoint slides - Dr. Balzer is a consultant to ASTDD for persons with special needs.  He authored the ASTDD Best Practice Approach Report on Oral Health of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Special Health Care Needs. He was a career dental officer with USPHS many years ago and served as the federal consultant to state oral health and CSHCN programs in the 8-state Rocky Mountain area. Dr Balzer takes his inspiration from his daughter Allison who was born with severe developmental disabilities and is now 28 and has never had a cavity. June 5, 2015

Navigating AIAN Healthcare Systems Webinar PowerPoint: Bonnie Bruerd, MPH, DrPH works as a health policy consultant, currently working on contracts with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and Indian Health Service. She is currently Co-Chair of the national IHS Early Childhood Caries Collaborative. Her presentation provides an overview of Region XI (American Indian/Alaska Native) Head Start programs and provides tips for working with Indian Health Service, Tribal dental programs, and AIAN communities to improve the oral health of Head Start children. (January 2015)

Head Start Oral Health Program Information Report Webinar PowerPoint - This webinar provides a review of Head Start oral health Program Information Reporting (PIR). The oral health PIR is described with examples provided of how the data is used by Head Start. As part of the National Center on Health's (NCH) Cooperative Agreement, the Oral Health Project (OHP) developed a pilot PIR project  The purpose of the pilot project was to prepare a Program Information Report (PIR) data-driven model to help the Regional Offices use PIR data to monitor Head Start grantees' compliance with oral-health-related PIR requirements and to assist them in determining what technical assistance could be provided to the programs in need.  This presentation provides an overview of the pilot project methodology, project findings and proposed recommendations. (Sept. 26th, 2014)

Building Successful Collaborative State Oral Health Consortiums PowerPoint - In 2008 the Massachusetts Head Start community and state oral health leaders, with funding from the DentaQuest Foundation, formed the Massachusetts Early Childhood Oral Health Consortium to connect Head Start children to dental homes. We are now engaged in a two-state effort with Pennsylvania to increase access to quality oral health care for young children beginning at age 1. Participants reflected upon the consortium approach to effective state oral health coalition-building, including engaging stakeholders, cultivating oral health champions, and building successful public-private partnerships such as the Pennsylvania Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO)/Head Start Liaison project. Participants considered lessons learned that may inform the development of state-specific strategies to improve access to comprehensive oral care for all young children, especially those most at risk. (May 30, 2014)

Collection of Data in Head Start

Collaborative Partnerships: Examples of Head Start Oral Health Activities in Kansas and Maryland

Oral Health Resources to Support Head Start Programs

A Review of Head Start : Its Mission, History, Services ,Performance Standards and PIR and An Overview of the Head Start National Center on Health

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