When the Bevin Administration released the Section 1115 Medicaid Waiver, Kentucky HEALTH, this summer, we voiced our concern about classifying dental benefits as an earned benefit instead of included in the standard benefits package (as it is currently). The Administration held three public comment periods this summer, and made several adjustments to the waiver, including one that impacts dental coverage, before submitting it to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for approval. The [...]

How many times during these hot, humid summer months have you or your children grabbed the first drink you see in your fridge just to quench your thirst? What you may not think about is what you grab to drink can directly affect your health, especially your dental health. National organizations such as Campaign for Dental Health, the School-Based Health Alliance, the Center for Vulnerable Populations, and The Children’s Partnership have joined forces to encourage parents, [...]

The Kentucky Oral Health Coalition (KOHC) is working to improve oral health in Kentucky by addressing access to care, increasing school based programming, and improving oral health literacy. KOHC has brought together many stakeholders to create a strong oral health network designed to collaboratively make progress in the state’s oral health outcomes. Throughout the work, we have been consistently impressed with the “bright spots” in oral health located in every county across the state. These [...]

Posted on July 19, 2016, by Mahak Kalra, in Blog,Health Photo courtesy of KET Kentucky Educational Television (KET) recently featured the Health Three60 episode, “The Hidden Life of Your Mouth.” The episode focused on poor oral health as a gateway to systemic health problems, successful school-based prevention programs, and how oral health impacts quality of life and employment. Review highlights and watch the full episode below. Dr. Julie McKee, Kentucky’s state dental director, and Dr. [...]

Governor Bevin released the Kentucky HEALTH proposal, aimed at modifying Kentucky's Medicaid program, on June 22. The proposed changes will eliminate adult Medicaid dental coverage from the standard benefits package. KOHC’s executive committee and members firmly believe the inclusion of dental coverage should not be an earned benefit, but rather a key component in the standard benefits package. By including dental coverage, Kentuckians will ultimately have better oral health and health outcomes!  Take action and [...]

Good oral health is an integral component of healthy development and optimal childhood learning. Children free from dental pain and infection can focus on their schooling. Tooth decay and other dental diseases can not only have long-lasting impacts on a child’s ability to learn, but also to speak and eat. That is why the Making Smiles Happen Surveillance Initiative is a critical assessment in monitoring Kentucky children’s oral health status. Conducting a statewide survey of children’s oral health [...]

Thank you to Kentucky Educational Television (KET) for devoting significant air time to covering oral health issues in the Commonwealth this upcoming year. The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky is supporting the television station in covering all aspects of oral health – the need and solutions from pre-natal to elderly; from policy to on-the-ground prevention. As oral health advocates and experts share their experiences, public awareness is being raised. As a longtime Kentucky Oral Health [...]

This post originally appeared in Insider Louisville on March 24, 2016. Read “Oral Health Project Aims to Screen Thousands of Kentucky Children to Help Improve Quality of Care” online here.  Dr. Charles Tritle conducted the first official oral health screenings to kickoff the Making Smiles Happen Surveillance Initiative at Bullitt Lick Middle School Kids with good oral health are likely to do better in school than those with bad oral health. Few would dispute that statement, [...]

The Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) at the University of Albany has issued two reports concerning oral health in Kentucky.  The first report summarizes interviews conducted with oral health stakeholders across the state in order to better understand the barriers and facilitators to accessing oral health care services.  The second is a technical report consisting of an extensive literature review and an analysis of existing data, which is intended to identify current and past initiatives to improve access [...]

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM). Each year during the month of February, the American Dental Association (ADA) and the ADA Foundation team up to provide a new NCDHM campaign. The campaign for 2016 is the “Sugar Wars.” Dental and healthcare professionals, educators, advocates, and caregivers are encouraged to join the fight against the “sweet tooth invaders,” and teach children healthy oral hygiene and eating habits. Many resources are available to help spread [...]