1708-13376

This investment provides continued support to Oral Health Kansas (OHK) to convene, coordinate, and support the development of the Kansas Oral Health Connection Team, a group of statewide organizations dedicated to supporting oral health throughout the state, closing disparity gaps, and advocating for comprehensive adult dental benefits and the capacity of the Kansas dental workforce particularly in rural areas. Specifically, OHK will partner with KAMU, the Bureau of Health and Environment, KHSA, and KDA to establish a coordinated system of advocacy that address income inequities and access in the state, increase the capacity of the Kansas dental workforce through recruitment and retention of dental professionals, update and expand existing datasets that demonstrate the oral health status of Kansans, accessibility, and utilization of oral health services. $565,926 will be used to support the implementation and development of the objectives listed in the proposal by the core group and allied partners, marketing and educational materials to engage new stakeholders, staff travel and meeting expenses; and other administrative costs associated with the project's implementation. This proposal aligns with the Oral Health 2020 Goal of improving the public perception of the value of oral health to overall health and the target that oral health is increasingly included in health dialogue and public policy.