GRANT00372

Support to the Tennessee Primary Care Association (TPCA) as part of the DentaQuest Foundation Strengthening the Oral Health Safety Net Initiative. TPCA will create an oral health program led by an oral health coordinator, and will also form a dental workgroup comprised of representatives from CHCs. The workgroup will provide networking opportunities among dental and medical staff and a venue for sharing challenges, opportunities, and best practices related to operating a CHC-based oral health program. The dental workgroup will also be charged with identifying dental quality measures and forming a strategy to collect, aggregate, and disseminate data on quality measures. This data will provide a strong foundation for developing messages that will be used to inform policymakers about the oral health needs of low-income Tennesseans and suggest incremental steps to improve access to care. Finally, TPCA will partner with the Safety Net Solutions program to facilitate individualized technical assistance for up to five FQHC dental programs. CHCs selected for TA will greatly benefit from the expertise and guidance of SNS staff. A strategy that combines dedicated staff leadership, CHC clinical participation, generation of data, advocacy, and customized technical assistance will advance Tennessee’s oral health safety net in visible ways.