Guest blog by Jennifer Harrison, MPH, RDH
I have been on the steering committee of the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition (KOHC) since graduating from dental hygiene school in 2013. My clinical career has been in federally qualified health centers serving the most underserved of our community. Lack of access to care and other policy barriers inspired me to earn my MPH from Western Kentucky University and I have since been working in various public health and educational roles. Oral health impacts quality of life. If folks can’t smile, eat, and speak comfortably, they can’t be their best at home, work, or school. It’s truly a human dignity issue.
The 2026 National Oral Health Conference was in Oklahoma City this year. It brings together dental public health professionals for education and networking and is the premier meeting place for those interested in oral health research, policy, and innovative programming. The KOHC sends representation annually and I was able to attend in April.
KOHC is a long-time member of the American Network of Oral Health Coalitions. Kentucky is one of 39 states and territories that come together to advance policy, expand access to oral health care, and promote prevention through connection and participation within the network. The collective impact of sharing knowledge and best practices allows state coalition members to access resources and strategies that worked elsewhere and could inform Kentucky’s oral health initiatives. We don’t have to build every bridge alone. We are always stronger together.
The passion at this conference is palpable. From research posters to continuing education courses we learned about CHW integration, the impact potential of state Medicaid dental directors, community engagement, value-based care models, and more. The speakers were dynamic leaders who welcomed connection and collaboration. We are hoping to invite one to the in-person KOHC annual meeting in December, so stay tuned there.
One concept I learned for the first time that stood out was the Oral Health Impact Profile -5 (OHIP 5) survey. This is a survey metric asking 5 questions that look at pain, function, appearance, and psychosocial factors like sleep apnea to assess oral health and quality of life at baseline and after program/clinical interventions. It will be interesting to see how this gets adopted and utilized over time to assess quality of care. You can read about how OHIP-5 is being adopted for school aged children in this science direct article.
Please reach out if you would like to discuss any of this more. I invite you to become a member of KOHC if any of this resonates and join me for the next NOHC conference in 2027 in St. Louis.
