G-1911-15708

This investment supports Texas Impact to build a grassroots base of faith-based advocates engaged in assessing and addressing the social determinants of oral health. This is in alignment with the DentaQuest Partnership priorities to promote health equity in Texas, engage grassroots partners in systems-change advocacy, and pursue person-centered models of care. This opportunity builds on the work done in 2019 to develop a curriculum that integrates the social determinants of health into faith-based advocacy across Texas. This additionally builds upon efforts in 2019 to engage faith-based ministries in supporting advances in oral health policy. Specific work and outcomes for 2020 are the development of locally-based analyses, in targeted communities, of disparities and policies related to the social determinant of oral health, the use of these analyses to advocate to legislators for structural and/or policy changes, and the development of an organized faith-based network of oral health policy advocates. $125,000 supports time, travel, and supplies associated with deliverables as well as community-based mini-grants for faith-ministries.