KOHC School-Based Oral Health Services Workgroup Minutes

November 19, 2012

4-5pm Eastern

Attendees

  1. Andrea Bennett – Kentucky Youth Advocates
  2. Christy Ray – Louisville water and Smile Kentucky
  3. Jim Cecil – Kentucky Youth Advocates Consultant
  4. Kelly Dearing Smith – Louisville Water
  5. Laura Hancock Jones – UK Dental Outreach Program in Western KY, KOHC Chair
  6. Linda Poynter – Northern KY Health Department, N. KY. Oral Health Program, KOHC Vice Chair
  7. Loretta Maldaner – Purchase AHEC, West Kentucky Children’s Health Coalition
  8. Ryan Burt – Passport Health Plan
  9. Sara Womack – Dental Hygienist

Notes

  • Discussed various people who need to be involved in the workgroup to addressed school-based oral health:
    • Kentucky Department of Education
    • Board of Education Nurses
    • KDE Coordinated School Health, Jamie Sparks
    • School-based health nurses and centers
    • FRYSCs
    • KDE School Health Services, Karen Erwin
    • Safe and Healthy Schools
  • Brainstormed potential focuses of the workgroup:
    • Access point of information for groups looking for school-based oral health programs
    • Take existing programs to other school groups
  • Discussed finding opportunities to discuss oral health with groups such as coordinated school health, site based decisions making council, early childhood and child care provider trainings, school nurse association, FRYSC’s Association conference, Safe and Healthy Schools Conference. Andrea will prepare a list of potential opportunities to send to the group that can be discussed at the next meeting.
  • Discussed creating a “speakers’ bureau on the KOHC website where people can go and request to have someone from KOHC come speak at meetings, conferences, etc. Andrea will look into adding this.
  • Discussed how to involve the early childhood community and the possibility of engaging the Early Childhood Council in each county. Andrea will look into what is out there.
  • Talked about educating more groups in the state about Smile Kentucky and Drink Pyramid program, look at ways to get this message into more school
  • Brainstormed possibility of working on early childhood regulations
  • Discussed potential policy issue the workgroup could address around school nurses. The Board of Education nurses are not allowed to do kindergarten screenings and fluoride varnish. Apparently, the Board of Nursing is against school nurses doing the screening possibly because of the way the regulations read. This may also be connected to the existing Kids Smile program at the state. Dr. Cecil is going to look into where this stands and update us on the next call to see if and how the workgroup should get involved.
  • Discussed opportunities to spread the where’s the sugar video. Smile Kentucky has given it to dental offices. Most of the education is on sugar such as how to measure sugar and healthy snacks. children’s booklet, experiment bags,
  • Discussed collaborating with Kindergarten Countdown which is a one stop shop back to school event coordinated through Metro United Way
  • Brainstormed how to partner with coordinated school health through local wellness committees and site-based decision making committees. Possibly send information about the coalition to them. The group also brainstormed possibilities to divide up in local areas and present “where’s the sugar” to local site based decision making councils and also engaging PTA’s in various parts of the state

Action Items for next meeting

  • Andrea will create an “opportunities” list of groups and conferences the coalition could speak to on school-based oral health
  • Andrea will look into setting up a speakers bureau request page on the KOHC website
  • Dr. Cecil will look into the school health nurse and oral health screening policy issue
  • KOHC members should encourage others to join the coalition to get involved in the workgroups. People can become members online at www.kyoralhealthcoalition.org.

The next school-based oral health workgroup call will be February 25 at 4pm Eastern