OHA Survey Highlights Status of State Oral Health Coalitions

6/18/07

Sue Dodd, RDH, OHA's Program Director, shared survey results from state oral health coalitions at the 2007 National Oral Health Conference (NOHC) held in Denver , Colorado in May.  The survey, which was conducted in Fall 2006 as part of OHA's cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Oral Health, showed that in most states, a statewide oral health coalition is present and has been in existence for one to five years. 

“Oral Health Coalitions work! They bring partners together to find creative solutions to problems that one person or organization cannot tackle alone,” said Beth Hines, MPH, RDH, OHA's project officer at the CDC's Division of Oral Health.  “We conducted this survey in order to find out what assistance state oral health coalitions need at state, regional, and national levels.”

“The good news is that most states now expect the presence of an oral health coalition,” said Sue Dodd.  “Their stories are as unique as their home states, but many of their struggles are similar, and that's where we can help.”

Respondents to the survey indicated that most coalitions had statewide representation.  All respondents stated that “access” to dental care was a goal and strategy, and most shared that “disparities in oral health,” “dental sealants,” and “community water fluoridation” were also goals and strategies for coalition action.  The three highest priorities for the coalitions were “policy development,” “resource development,” and “needs assessment/planning.”  Over half of respondents said that the coalition had an evaluation plan, and about half of respondents said that their coalition had used a consultant or facilitator.  With regard to technical assistance, survey respondents identified “resource development,” “needs assessment/planning,” and “member recruitment” as the top three needs.  Most respondents also indicated that they would participate in a variety of settings for technical assistance, ranging from national, state, and regional efforts to Internet and listserv participation.

The survey was distributed to all 50 states through the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) membership listserv. 

The next step for OHA through its agreement with CDC is a written report of the survey findings. OHA will then provide technical assistance to the CDC Division of Oral Health's thirteen grantees.  CDC will use the survey results to develop a plan to address the needs of all states at a later date.

For more information about the survey or about OHA's cooperative agreement with the CDC's Division of Oral Health, contact Sue Dodd via e-mail: sue@oralhealthamerica.org.

CONTACT

Elizabeth Rogers, (207) 771-8824

Oral Health America is the nation's premier, independent advocacy organization dedicated to improving oral health.