1609-12478

National: This investment supports the Critical Learning Systems (CLS) to continue to develop and refine a comprehensive Oral Health Needs Index (OHNI). This interactive online tool, which defines oral health needs of a community in the context of health equity and social justice, will assess oral health needs without having access to oral health clinical or small area data. Specifically in Year 2, CLS will launch a pilot version of the tool in the state of Florida and evaluate it later using quantitative and qualitative methods. Utilizing the GIS mapping technology, CLS will overlay key oral health indicators that capture oral health outcomes for different communities based on the data that includes access, clinical care, outcomes, behaviors, and environment. The selected indicators will include data at the national, state, and county levels, and will be retrieved from the national sources including but not limited to the Center of Disease Control Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the Health Resources and Service Administration, and the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. Beginning with disaggregated data from Florida, the proposed project will aim to produce a methodology that can be replicated in communities across the country as a means of visibly delineating pockets of oral health disparities. Specific systems outcome to be addressed is the development of an oral health measurement system. The proposed project aligns with the Oral Health 2020 goal of improving the public perception of the value of oral heath to overall health and the target that by 2020, oral health is increasingly included in the health dialogue and public policy. $208,691 will support staffing and consultant services needed to implement this project.