1802-13892

This investment supports the LENOWISCO Planning District Commission in its role as a lead convener in southwestern Virginia communities as part of the Grassroots Engagement Strategy. LENOWISCO (Lee, Scott, and Wise counties and the City of Norton) was established in 1965 to respond to economic development needs in the central Appalachian, and maintains a guiding philosophy that economic success starts with a trained, healthy workforce. During Year 3 of the initiative, LENOWISCO worked to increase oral health education at variety of access points for children, parents, guardians, primary care providers, and educators; increase the number of children ages 1-18, who receive preventive oral health services; and increase access to oral health care services using both traditional and innovative models of oral health care delivery to include a sufficient number of dentist to eliminate the dental health professional shortage area designation. In Year 4, the workplan builds on previous work and includes additional efforts around reducing SSB consumption and tobacco use, dental workforce development, and convening a rural oral health conference. $100,000 will support staff and consultant time, meeting expenses, surveys, supplies and equipment, and other project expenses. LENOWISCO’s work is organized around policy, financing, care and community systems change. This proposal aligns with the Oral Health 2020 Goal 6 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.