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Minnesota Oral Health Summit February 11 th , 2011 Sealant Demonstration Project Sarah Wovcha, J.D., M.P.H Executive Director and In-House Counsel. Current State of Sealant Demonstration Project.
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Minnesota Oral Health Summit February 11th, 2011 Sealant Demonstration Project Sarah Wovcha, J.D., M.P.H Executive Director and In-House Counsel
Current State of Sealant Demonstration Project • Overview of Children’s Dental Services (CDS) history placing sealants on school-aged children within schools across Minnesota • CDS joined the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) as a partner on sealant demonstration project on September 1st, 2010 • Overview of completed tasks: -Lead hygienist retained and trained -Equipment purchased -Two sites selected to conduct study (one rural, one urban) - Sealant protocol finalized -SEALS software utilization in place
Sealant Demonstration Project and Goals of State Oral Health Plan • Through this project, CDS is working to ensure the goals of the State Oral Health Plan are met: -Strategies are implemented that reduce oral disease and mitigate risks. *Develop and coordinate comprehensive, state-wide school-based prevention programs that target high risk children. *Thereby reduce caries experience in Minnesota children -Access to preventive, restorative, and emergency oral health care is increased. *Increase by 10% the number of underserved Minnesota children in each region who receive evidence-based preventive dental care. -Access to population statistics, population-level oral health surveillance information, and aggregate data on oral health indicators is readily available to all. *Increase capacity of the state oral health program to collect data and conduct surveillance activities.
Data and Stories • In 2010, CDS’ 7 collaborative practice hygienists, working across Minnesota, placed15,628 sealants on children. 25% of those students, or 3,907, were second graders. • In St Cloud in 2010 significant amounts of calculus were identified on 40% of elementary school children. Through the start of 2011, the St Cloud team has seen a 60% reduction in the amount of calculus and decay experienced by elementary-age children. The team attributes this to preventive care and sealant placement. • CDS continues to expand access to care to underserved across Minnesota. Thus, CDS is seeking additional registered dental hygienists who can enter into collaborative agreements. CDS also looks forward to hiring Dental Therapists and Advanced Dental Therapists who can increase access to care and address workforce shortages across the state.
School Based Initiatives-Next Steps • CDS will begin placement of sealants on second graders at Green Central Public Elementary School in Minneapolis and within the Holdingford School District (St. Cloud Region) under the demonstration project beginning in early 2011. • CDS will expand care to the Moorhead region beginning March 2011. • CDS will expand care to the Keewatin and Eveleth School Districts on the Iron Range beginning spring 2011.