G-2401-20144

Launched in early 2024, the University of Texas Health Houston School of Dentistry’s (UTSOD) Center for Health Promotion (CHP) is a 34-operatory clinic that utilizes a person-centered, community-based integrated care model to challenge current healthcare delivery models that lack integration between oral health and overall health. With funding, CHP will lead a curriculum overhaul emphasizing prevention and health promotion in the school’s ‘Foundations for Clinical Practice’ courses. UTSOD will gather data from the project to inform future clinical direction, and influence state and national public policy regarding health care access. This model has potential to influence dental education nationally.

Priority activities include recruitment of a qualified nurse practitioner, phlebotomist, and registered dietitian; development of in-house clinical laboratory workflows and implementation of workflows within the CHP, and training UTSD providers. For successful integration of clinical services that bridge the oral and overall health needs of patients, the phases of this workplan include systems creation - personnel and workflows, training and calibration of providers, and evaluation of patient outcomes including oral health measures and overall health measures. To establish this integrated care model with meaningful community input, the initial step will involve conducting a needs assessment and developing communication channels, such as collaborative town hall meetings, surveys, and focus groups. These efforts will help gather and organize insights on prevalent oral and overall health issues to identify existing gaps in the current model of care delivery. Additionally, a multidisciplinary team, comprised of allied health professionals (i.e., nurse practitioners, social workers, and counselors) will be formed to establish protocols for closing the gap between oral and overall health needs. The integration of allied health professionals in the CHP will help develop appropriate protocols to assess, monitor, and counsel patients to improve overall health measures (i.e., blood pressure, diabetes, BMI, cancer, sleep-related breathing disorders, etc.). The integration of oral and overall health services will support CHP’s efforts towards providing clinically appropriate care through emphasis on prevention and health promotion.

This request is for $150,000, which is less than 1% of the organization’s overall budget. The grant funds will support staffing costs and data dissemination including costs for posters, presentations, social media, and publication costs.