1602-11913

Rhode Island: Support to Rhode Island Kids Count to further the reach of its well-established TeethFirst campaign. As part of this project, Rhode Island Kids Count will promote TeethFirst resources with the key audiences of families, health care providers, dental providers, and family serving community agencies to increase the number of young children with early dental visits; conduct a targeted bilingual TeethFirst social media campaign; serve as lead advocate for comprehensive, affordable, and high-quality public and private dental benefits for children; and partner with its wide network of state agencies, dental and health insurers, dental and health care providers, and other stakeholders to promote early dental visits, the value of dental insurance, dental coverage, and preventive oral health care. Specific systems outcomes addressed by this project are the integration of oral health into all aspects of health care, promotion of oral health literacy among children and families, and integration of oral health into education and social services. The proposal aligns with the Oral Health 2020 goals of eradicating dental disease in children and improving the public perception of the value of oral health to overall health. $150,000 will support personnel and consultants time, as well as marketing and communications.