The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #63907

René Lavinghouze, MA¹, Katherine W. Bauer, MS¹, and Kathleen D. Heiden, RDH, MSPH². (1) Division of Oral Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, MS F-10, Atlanta, GA 30341, 770-488-5905, shl3@cdc.gov, (2) Division of Oral Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Oral Health, 4770 Buford Highway, Mailstop F-10, Atlanta, GA 30341

Introduction: Many states lack infrastructure to assess oral health needs and implement proven oral disease prevention programs. Essential to development of effective infrastructure is a collaboratively developed state plan. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is assisting states in their development of effective oral health state plans. Methods: CDC’s Division of Oral Health (DOH), in collaboration with state dental directors, identified those states that currently have state oral health plans and posted them on the DOH website to promote sharing of ideas. Plans were reviewed for content and inclusion of issues across the life span. Recommendations were made to promote a more comprehensive scope for plans. In collaboration with currently funded grantees, DOH developed state plan performance measures, logic model templates and process/impact evaluation guidance. Workshop materials and technical assistance guides were placed on the CDC website. Results: Availability of examples and recommendations for developing comprehensive plans incorporating performance measures should promote the construction of quality plans. The evaluation template was designed to promote inclusion of activities tailored to the specific context of the state and may be used to assess strengths and weaknesses of a plan, promote revision and maximize implementation of the plan, as well as gauge impact and reach of the plan. Conclusions: Plan evaluation is designed to be cyclical in nature so that ongoing use of evaluation results and lessons learned becomes part of the planning and implementation process, maximizing impact and reach of plan objectives throughout the cycles of development, dissemination, and implementation.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to identify the performance measures and evaluation tools that promote an effective oral health state plan as well as share in the lessons learned by other programs.

Keywords: Evaluation, Planning

Related Web page: www.cdc.gov/oralhealth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.