Effective, Leadership, Development, and Promotion of a State Oral Health Strategic Framework

In 2013, the Washington State Board of Health approved the Recommended Strategies to Improve the Oral Health of Washington Residents. The Board’s intention was to provide leadership on public health policies that focus on oral health promotion, prevention, early intervention and treatment. The strategic recommendations were based on a review of established evidence and best practice models, consultation with expert informants, input from Washington state and national expert oral health review panels. Special consideration was given to oral health strategies that are evidence-based, cost effective, and impact high risk populations. The seven recommended strategies are: health systems, inter-professional collaboration, oral health literacy, workforce, surveillance, community water fluoridation, and sealant programs.  

In 2014, the Board officially recommended the Governor and Legislature support the recommended strategies and conducted a state agency oral health workshop.  The goal of the workshop was to identify current activities and proposed new activities that are in line with the Board’s strategy. The Board and the Washington Dental Services Foundation will convene two symposiums in 2015 to further explore opportunities to implement the Board’s oral health strategy.

At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to list the detailed components of Washington’s seven oral health strategies, and describe in detail the processes used in Washington state to develop and promote the Board’s oral health strategies.