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RODERICK L. BREMBY, SECRETARY |
K A N S A S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT |
KATHLEEN SEBELIUS, GOVERNOR |
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KDHE Receives $50,000 Oral Health Grant
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment received $50,000 for an Oral Health Collaborative Systems grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. This baseline oral health assessment will provide a point-in-time benchmark statewide to determine the oral status and treatment needs of Kansas children. This will be done by conducting an open mouth survey of 3rd graders and 4 year-old Head Start participants in the spring of 2004.
“This will give us an indication of how Kansas is doing compared with other states in helping its children receive the dental services that are necessary to protect their health” says Dawn McGlasson, Oral Health Program Consultant for KDHE.
Additionally, KDHE is working with communities and the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund to develop local interventions and a recently formed state oral health coalition, called Oral Health Kansas.
“We will make the data available to the coalition and to policy-makers to support informed decision-making in the oral health area,” says McGlasson.
KDHE is supported in the open mouth survey effort by the Kansas Dental Association, the Kansas Dental Hygienists’ Association, Kansas Head Start Association, Kansas Dept. of Social and Rehabilitative Services/ Medicaid Program, Kansas Association of the Medically Underserved, Kansas Primary Care Association, Children’s Cabinet, Kansas Public Health Association, United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, and the Kansas State Department of Education.