G-1911-15719

This investment supports the United Way of Central Iowa (UWCI) to serve as the backbone organization for the newly created Iowa Oral Health Coalition and facilitate a process to determine its structure and priorities in 2020. The proposed work aligns with the DentaQuest Partnership priorities of pursuing person-centered models of care and expanding access to public adult dental benefits. UWCI provides funds, capacity building, and convening opportunities to other nonprofits in central Iowa to create and implement initiatives in the areas of education, income and health. Currently, despite having an extensive dental benefit through its Medicaid program, provider participation in Medicaid is very limited and some patients are not able to access dental care even for emergencies, especially in rural settings. This provides strong support for pursuing integrated models of care that are also designed to address the social determinants of health. The Iowa Oral Health Plan is up for renewal in 2020 and the Iowa Oral Health Coalition has been tasked to partner in updating the plan. Given the nascence of coalition, a planning grant will be structured around the following deliverables: develop the structure of the coalition, engage leaders outside of oral health, design and host a summit to solicit feedback and inform the goals and objectives of the coalition, and develop materials to house resources and information for the coalition. Currently, UWCI is actively engaging key partners around the state such as: Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation, NAACP, Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa, Iowa Dental Board, Broadlands Medical Center, Lifelong Smiles Coalition, Cavity Free Iowa, Iowa PCA, Central Iowa Coalition of Interprofessional Studies, Iowa Dental & Dental Hygienists Associations. $74,820 will be used to support contracted staff to oversee and manage the primary functions of the coalition, meeting and travel costs to support member engagement and coalition activities, and other administrative costs associated with the project’s implementation.