1601-11718

This investment supports the Center for Oral Health to build the capacity of school-based oral health programs to deliver comprehensive dental care, engage parents and families in oral health, and strengthen partnerships to support local and statewide policies aimed at improving oral health through systems change. Specifically, the Center for Oral Health will continue to provide comprehensive dental services at its school-based clinics through medical-dental integrated care; expand outreach efforts into local community-based sites that primarily serve low-income families, including WICs, HeadStarts, Early Education Centers, and pre-school centers; design and convene two symposia to engage local funders interested in medical-dental integration. Children who attend public schools located in the poorest areas of the county exhibit very poor oral health. Dental care resources are limited and building sustainable systems of care will contribute to close the access gap that affects those children. The proposed work aims to develop linkages between schools and dental homes, ensuring that those students with acute care needs have access to care and oral health education where they are. In addition, as children enter school, there will be a warm-handoff and the supporting infrastructure in place to ensure that they continue to have their oral health needs met. $275,001 will be used to support personnel time necessary to manage the operations of the project, coordination and planning of the project; managing relationships with the different LAUSD personnel, and collaborative partners; travel and contracted services; and administrative costs associated with the project's implementation, including printing, office space, communications materials, and supplies. This proposal aligns with the Oral Health 2020 Goal of eradicating dental disease in children and the target that, with the closing of disparity gaps, 85% of children reach age 5 without a cavity.