Enhancing Collaborative Relationships Between State Oral Health Programs and Dental/Dental Hygiene Education Institution

1. Enhancing Collaborative Relationships Between State Oral Health Programs and Dental/Dental Hygiene Education Institutions Beverly Isman, Monette McKinnon, Nicholas Mosca

2. Discussion Points • Rationale for conducting a collaborative ASTDD & ADEA members’ survey • Survey results • Examples of success • Untapped opportunities and recommendations

3. Rationale • No current inventory of collaborative relationships • ASTDD and ADEA commitment to conduct joint projects of mutual benefit • Promote leveraging of resources at the state level • Foster stronger partnerships within states

4. Needs of State Oral Health Programs • Research and evidence-based practice expertise and resources • Data collection and statistical analysis • Evaluation expertise • Advocacy for public health programs • Workforce for projects, community education and clinical care

5. Needs of Dental and Allied Dental Education Programs • Sites for student extramural placements • Teaching expertise in public health • Data for planning and research • Supplies, equipment for clinical projects • Neutral party to convene meetings/forums/coalitions • Funds for community services, adjunct faculty, special projects

6. Understanding RelationshipsSOHP & Dental Education • Web-survey of state dental directors conducted by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Center for Public Policy and Advocacy • Secondary survey completed by email or telephone with faculty members who were identified as the “academic-side” collaborator by state dental directors

7. 5 Focus Areas for Questions • Do you have a working relationship? • What kinds of collaborations occur? • Is there a financial relationship and what is covered? • Have you encountered any barriers in these relationships? • How would you improve your collaboration?

8. Response • 46 state + DC OH programs responded to web survey (90% response) • Only 1 state did not have collaboration; 42 provided contact info for other survey, with 26 providing info for more than one school or dept • Collaborations were with 39 different dental schools, 23 dental hygiene or assisting schools, and 4 other schools (PH, nursing, medical) • 46 faculty in 25+ states responded to email or telephone survey

9. Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Connecticut District of Columbia Georgia Hawaii Illinois Iowa Kansas Maine Massachusetts Michigan Mississippi Missouri Nebraska Nevada States with Partnershipsthat Answered Both Surveys (N=25) • New York • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Tennessee • Utah • Wisconsin

10. Relationships • 19 SDD have faculty appointments; only 3 are paid; 7 had more than one appt • 24 states provide funding to dental academic programs; only one SOHP received funding (for joint research)

11. Relationships cont. • 40-50% of collaborations centered on access to care, planning/policy development, preventive programs, teaching at the school, or extramurals • 12 states noted other relationships: TA, program admin, fund cancer CE program, coalitions, dental recruitment, special projects, PANDA, BSS, student requests

12. Funding Supports… • Staff and faculty time/expertise—consultation • Equipment/supplies • Travel • Dental residencies and extramurals for students • Programs and research

13. Noted Barriers • No state dental director or no dental school • Administrative red tape & bureaucracy for contracts, etc • Tight budget or cuts • Insufficient staff or time to get involved • State dental society thinks everything must go through them • Restricted dental hygiene practice laws; laws also prohibit student externships (DE) • Few geriatric initiatives

14. Key Areas of Collaboration • Contract Agreements for Services • Oral disease surveillance – BSS data collection • Community or population-level prevention (sealants, fluoride varnish; mobile vans, school-based, clinics) • Planning and Research • Coalition / Summit / Task Force/ Advisory council • Consultation or TA services • Library and data resources • Education • Classroom teaching / CE • Student extramural rotations • Student projects or research

15. Promising Models • WI - preventive programs • CO - integrate med/dent • NC - research • NH - student extramurals • VT - advocacy/legislation • SC - craniofacial team • PA - CE on oral cancer • CT – assistant dean

16. Apply for/share federal dollars Create statewide oral health plan Educate policymakers and the public Address licensing and regulatory issues Highlight best practices Post resources on websites Special Opportunities • Create interagency initiatives and projects • Convene strategic alliances and coalitions • Engage in frequent and open communication • Create solutions to contracting and other barriers • Create sample MOUs • Conduct joint research • Create regional networks

17. Summary • Most states have excellent collaborations • Some people have worked in both settings • Some states need to increase dialogue and create more formal relationships • Both groups have skills and resources that create synergy and can leverage other resources • Working together can address workforce and funding challenges in a positive manner

18. Support for Project • HRSA Cooperative Agreement U44MC00177 to ASTDD • Thanks to Dr. Richard Valachovic (ADEA) and Dr. Lewis Lampiris (ASTDD) for marketing surveys to dental school deans and state dental directors • Thanks to staff at the Mississippi Department of Health for conducting telephone survey