On Friday, the federal court blocked the implementation of the Medicaid 1115 waiver, known as Kentucky HEALTH. In response to the Medicaid ruling on Kentucky HEALTH, the Bevin administration announced that Medicaid expansion adults no longer be offered the ability to purchase dental and vision services through their My Rewards account effective July 1, 2018. The Kentucky Oral Health Coalition’s executive committee firmly believes the inclusion of dental coverage should be a key component in [...]

For the last few weeks, the Kentucky Oral Health coalition has highlighted three Bright Spots in Kentucky that improve oral health literacy, deliver school-based services, or improve access to care within the state. Today, we celebrate Madison County Health Department (MCHD), the Bright Spots committee's 4th and final nomination of the year. MCHD was created to bring dental health to students in Madison County Schools. Marsha Deaton, the creator of this nominated Bright Spot program, [...]

As we kick off our third week of Bright Spots acknowledgments, it's clear that there are many oral health influencers who strive to improve oral health literacy, deliver school-based services, and improve accessible care to all throughout the state. This week the KOHC Bright Spots Committee recognizes the Louisville Dental Society (LDS).  LDS free dental van clinic has been in service for two years. The dental van clinic is unique because they rotate among 3-4 areas to provide [...]

The Kentucky Oral Health Coalition's celebration of Bright Spot champions continues with our second recognition. The Bright Spot Committee is pleased to recognize Community Dental Clinic. Community Dental Clinic was established in 2010 in Owensboro, Kentucky. Mission/Vision: Community Dental Clinic was established to offer care to children and adults in our communities struggling to receive dental services. The Community Dental Clinic provides free dental health education and dental screenings for students at schools in the community. There [...]

Last summer for the first time members of the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition were asked to nominate "Bright Spots"  in their community. Bright Spots are classified as organizations, projects, coalitions, schools, programs, models, or initiatives that target, address, and/or invest in key oral health priorities for people in Kentucky of every age group, geographic location, race and ethnicity with an emphasis on equity for low-income adults and children. In the fall, Bright Spot nominee applications were reviewed and the [...]

https://vimeo.com/263439509/bb2e69610e https://youtu.be/83CxQFZcEAc Delta Dental of Kentucky is investing in four regions across Kentucky to help improve oral health among children in the Commonwealth. Each region within the state has a unique set of oral health outcomes, and these regional investments provide a localized solution to improving the oral health status of children in each community. This program is the result of state research findings published in the Making Smiles Happen: 2016 Oral Health Study of Kentucky’s [...]

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! What started as a one-day event in Cleveland, Ohio in 1941 has evolved into a month-long celebration! This year’s slogan is “Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth for a healthy smile.” Did you know that not flossing causes you to miss cleaning 40% of your tooth surfaces? Or that poor dental health can negatively impact children’s speech, growth, social development, and lead to more missed days [...]

Thirty-one days have passed since the September 30th deadline for Congress to extend funding for the successful Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Child advocates across Kentucky and the nation are deeply concerned by Congress’ inaction on ensuring millions of children do not lose their health coverage. Kentucky’s version of the program, KCHIP, has been instrumental in lowering the number of uninsured children by providing affordable health insurance for children with working parents who are struggling to [...]

Health impacts every aspect of a child’s life and is one of the most important components of overall child well-being. As the Kentucky legislature faces tough decisions in crafting the next biennial state budget in coming months, it’s imperative that we as a Commonwealth ensure that the more than one million Kentucky children have access to the support they need for their healthy development. Kentucky kids rely on vital state programs, such as HANDS, KCHIP, Medicaid, [...]

On Halloween, kids everywhere excitedly dressed up as their favorite cartoon characters before going trick-or-treating and devouring tons of candy and other sugary treats. For many kids, it’s a day they look forward to all year long! But with sugary treats comes the increased risk of cavities and tooth decay, the single most common childhood disease in the United States. As a result, November 1st has been designated National Brush Day as a reminder for parents (and kids) about [...]