1601-11720

This investment supports the Department of Health Services-Sonoma County’s Dental Health Program to expand and build the capacity of the growing dental health network serving Sonoma County using a collective impact model for systems change. Specifically, the organization will continue to serve as the backbone organization of a countywide effort to develop a Sonoma County Dental Health Strategic Plan; support the development and implementation of the work of three newly-formed action teams; conduct outreach and engage new stakeholders, focusing on low-income and Latino parents; design and implement an Oral Health Literacy Campaign; and design and convene its second Dental Health Summit. Leveraging the collective impact model has resulted in tangible outputs and progress towards the creation of a sustainable oral health network. The three action teams are comprised of both Network members and community stakeholders, with a focus on developing standardized oral health messaging for pregnant women and parents of young children; integration of oral health into primary care practice of the safety net setting; and promoting evidence-based, dental disease prevention policies, including community water fluoridation. $162,911 will be used to support personnel time to oversee the Dental Health Network, coordinate emergent activities of action teams, plan and design summit, and engage community partners; travel to state capitals for meetings with Dental Director; host Dental Summit; and administrative costs associated with the implementation of this work. This proposal aligns with the Oral Health 2020 Goal 4 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.