249188 School Based Oral Health Program: Utilizing Data to Drive Policy, Program Planning and Funding Effort

Monday, October 31, 2011

Emanuel Finn, DDS, MS , Community Health Adminstration, DC Department of Health, District of Columbia, DC
APHA ABSTRACT

Title: School based Oral Health Program: Utilizing Data to Drive Policy, Program Planning, and Funding Support.

The DC Department of Health (DOH) operates a culturally and linguistically appropriate oral health promotion program in underserved public elementary schools throughout the District of Columbia city Wards 5, 6, 7 and 8. These Wards are designated as HPSA sites and at least 50 % of each participating school's student population is enrolled in the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program.

The internal, external marketing and collaboration efforts to support and sustain the school based oral health program and developing a broad base coalition to take ownership and to push the initial policy forward requires determination and a well thought out plan.

Engaging community based organizations and establishing rapport with school authorities and principals are critical in the initial stages of program development.

Learning Objective(s):

1) Participants will discuss how to start and get buy in policy and advocacy discussions with officials on starting a school based oral health promotion project.

2) Participants will be able to describe the collection, analysis, dissemination and utilization of pre and post oral health promotion data.

3) Demonstration of how school based oral health data is used for program planning, evaluation, monitoring, surveillance, policy development and sustainability will be presented.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
The DC Department of Health (DOH) operates a culturally and linguistically appropriate oral health promotion program in underserved public elementary schools throughout the District of Columbia city Wards 5, 6, 7 and 8. These Wards are designated as HPSA sites and at least 50 % of each participating school’s student population is enrolled in the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program. The internal, external marketing and collaboration efforts to support and sustain the school based oral health program and developing a broad base coalition to take ownership and to push the initial policy forward requires determination and a well thought out plan. Engaging community based organizations and establishing rapport with school authorities and principals are critical in the initial stages of program development.

Keywords: School-Based Programs, Oral Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I the chief of the Oral Health Program at the DC Department of Health in Washington DC.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Oral Health Promotion: Programs and Policies
See more of: Oral Health