dqf2019020

Continued support to the North Carolina Foundation for Advanced Health Programs to begin the Implementation Phase of the Oral Health 2014 Initiative, and to realize their vision of impact that: the oral health status of residents in five North Carolina communities will be improved through exemplary medical-dental collaboration, including better use of technology and improved work flows, and improved community knowledge about oral health. These strategies will be shared broadly to improve care throughout the state using existing systems. Activities during implementation will include: leveraging existing and active networks in the state to engage and mobilize stakeholders in the development of integrated care delivery systems regionally throughout the state; engaging community networks to increase oral health literacy in communities across the state through education and outreach; and implementing systems improvements that will support the delivery of integrated care. North Carolina’s efforts over the next two years align with the Foundation’s focus on the inclusion of oral health in publicly funded health insurance by ensuring the effective inclusion of oral health in patient-centered care models through systems improvement and community and provider education efforts. Grant funds will be used to support staff guidance of the implementation plan, overhead costs related to the execution of the plan, and consultant support to design literacy materials to be delivered in community settings.