Office of Oral Health
Newsletter
Kathy Weno, Director of the Office of Oral Health
Oral health news
Dawn McGlasson, Deputy Director
Caron Shipley, School Screening Coordinator
Maggie Smet, Professional Outreach Coordinator
Mary Ann Percy, Professional Outreach Coordinator
Ashley Streeter, Administrative Assistant
O f f i c e o f o r a l h e a lt h — k d h e
Visit our website: http://www.kdheks.gov/ohi/index.html
NATIONAL ORAL HEALTH
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
Written by Dawn McGlasson, RDH, BSDH, MPH
Deputy Director
The Association of State and Territorial
Dental Directors (ASTDD) graduated 14
scholars from the 2nd National Oral Health
Leadership Institute (NOHLI) at the Arizona
School of Dentistry & Oral Health in Mesa,
AZ, September 11-13, 2008. The NOHLI
focuses on dental public health
professionals working in non-clinical settings
in state or local programs in order to
enhance build oral health leadership
capacity.
The training targeted personal growth,
critical thinking/analysis, political
effectiveness, and organizational/team
development to enhance strategic visioning
and direction setting skills. Critical
leadership skills need to be developed in
order to successfully implement projects
with a clear vision and collaborative
process. Participants learned a “systems-
thinking” approach to solve oral health
problems; collaborative public-private
advocacy; working with the media/public
relations; communications; developing
credibility; motivating staff; consensus
building and conflict resolution.
Members concentrated on enhancing
leadership capabilities from the onset of the
retreat. Speakers included: the Honorable
Phil Lopes, Minority Leader of the Arizona
House of Representatives; Mr. Gary
Cummins, Executive Director of the
Colorado Dental Association; and Marcy
Frosh, CDC Infrastructure Development
Initiative Project Manager from the
Children’s Dental Health Project.
The second day of the retreat spotlighted
leadership, risk management and working
with the media. Participants spent the
morning listening to Dr. Vincent Covello,
Center for Risk Communications talk about
skills needed in communicating with various
audiences. Then participants put those skills
to use in the afternoon when Christina Estes
from Expert Communications interviewed
each participant on camera. The interview
was played back and critiqued. A copy of
their interview was given to each person.
On the final day of the retreat the group
received their results from a 360 evaluation
that completed prior to the retreat. The
results were presented in an individualized
booklet that was personalized for each
participant.
Sponsors of the NOHLI were: the ASTDD,
Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health,
American Dental Association, Dentsply, Dr.
Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Education
Fund, American Dental Hygienist
Association, HRSA/ MCHB, and The
Children’s Dental Health Project.
 ORAL HEALTH KANSAS RELEASED 2009 ORAL HEALTH
REPORT CARD: KEEP KANSAS SMILING
Written By Marcia Manter, MA
Oral Health Kansas
Oral Health Kansas released the 2009 “Keep
Kansas Smiling” Report card on January 14,
2009.
The grade improved to at “B”, which is
significantly better than the 2003 grade of a
Dawn McGlasson, RDH, BSDH, MPH
“D+”. Kansas was awarded an “A” for extra
Deputy Director
credit accomplishments.
The State rates lowest in categories relating
to the supply of dentist. Kansas received an
“F” for the lack of pediatric dentists practicing
in the state, as well as an “F” for the
percentages of counties without a Medicaid
dental provider. And a latter grade of “D” for
the number of Medicaid dental providers.
While celebrating the successes, Kansas is
cautioned that the state grade may
deteriorate if there is a lack of commitment to
oral health.
Oral Health America analyzed the categories
of prevention, access to care, infrastructure,
oral health status, and oral health related
laws.
Oral Health America collaborated with Oral
Health Kansas, and Dawn McGlasson KDHE
Deputy Dental Director, was co-author on
the report. The purpose of the report is to
raise awareness of the oral health shortfalls,
and encourage opinion leaders, public
advocates, policy-makers, communities,
health professionals, and the media to
support successful policies and programs
that will make oral health care an integral
part of overall health care in order to “make
the grade”.
Oral Health America is a non-profit
organization that works to eliminate dental
disease by connecting people to resources
and empowering communities.

http://www.kdheks.gov/ohi/download/Kansas_Oral_Health_Report_Card_2008.pdf

Office of oral
health — kdhe
Curtis State Office Building
1000 SW Jackson
Suite 300
Topeka, Kansas 66612
Tel: 785-296-5116
Fax: 785-291-3959
www.kdheks.gov/ohi
ELDER SMILES
Written By Caron Shipley, RDH, BS
School Oral Screening Coordinator
Research has shown that improving elderly
person’s oral health not only improves their
physical health but increases their mental
health as well. The Johnson County Health
Department is happy to announce that it
has developed a new program called Elder
Smiles, for residents of long term care and
assisted living facilities in Johnson County,
Kansas. This program provides preventive
dental care for those without access,
physical, or financial means to visit a dental
office. With support from the health
department, Extended Care Registered
Dental Hygienists bring portable dental
equipment and dental supplies on-site to
these facilities providing teeth cleanings,
oral health exams, and fluoride varnish
treatments to consenting residents. In
addition to providing preventive services,
Elder Smiles identifies residents with oral
health problems and makes appropriate
referrals. Oral hygiene education is
provided to residents, families, and staff
along with toothbrushes and other needed
supplies.
Social workers, nursing staff, dental
professionals, and local health department
staff all collaborate to provide this much
needed care, supported by a start up grant
from Reach Healthcare Foundation. Elder
Smiles has been structured to be self-
supporting through fee for service and
hopes to serve approximately 600 residents
in its first year. An advisory committee
consisting of members from long-term care
facilities, UMKC Dental School,
professional and state level public health
representatives, dental hygienists, and
dentists meet twice a year to discuss
operations and make improvements. Elder
Smiles hopes to partner with other facilities
along with the Human Services and Aging
in the future to provide additional services
to Senior Centers as well.
KANSAS MISSION OF MERCY
Written by Greg Hill
Executive Assistant Director of Kansas
Dental Association
The 2009 Kansas Mission of Mercy has
drawn to a close. In all $1,014,382 in free
dental care was provided to 1714
patients. Dentists extracted 2898 teeth and
filled another 1759.
“It was a great event and the volunteers
were incredible,” said Greg Hill, Executive
Director of the Kansas Dental Charitable
Foundation. “We really are thankful to
everyone who helped make a difference.”
UPDATE: SCHOOL SCRENDING PROJECT
The Kansas Department of Health and Envi-
ronment (KDHE), Office of Oral Health
(OOH) is midway through its pilot year of
implementing a standardized statewide
school oral screening initiative. Currently
there are six pilot sites across Kansas which
includes Garden City, Wichita, Pittsburg,
Northwest Kansas, Junction City, and Law-
rence. Volunteer licensed dentists and den-
tal hygienists have been recruited from the
local community to conduct oral screenings
in the schools. The screeners have been
trained and calibrated by KDHE allowing for
standardized data.
Since beginning this initiative in September
2008, there have been 38,000 children
screened in these six pilot sites, with the
The Manhattan event is the eighth KMOM
project of the Kansas Dental Charitable
Foundation. To date, more than 16,500
patients have received $7.36 million in free
care through the program. More than 1000
volunteers helped with the event, including
150 dentists, 125 dental hygienists and 240
dental assistants.
The next project will take place in
Independence on April 16-17, 2010.
Caron Shipley, RDH, BSDH
School Screening Coordinator
data returned to the state. Referrals are sent
home to parents and guardians of the chil-
dren once the screenings are completed.
The data collected will be analyzed and dis-
played on the OOH website;
www.kdheks.gov/ohi. More information on
the screening initiative along with the
screening forms and an online training for Office of oral
dental professionals may be accessed health — kdhe
through this website.
Next year (2009-2010), KDHE will be ac- Curtis State Office Building
1000 SW Jackson
tively recruiting dentists and hygienists
Suite 300
across the state to screen in all local com- Topeka, Kansas 66612
munities. For more information please con-
Tel: 785-296-5116
tact: Caron Shipley RDH, BSDH, School
Fax: 785-291-3959
Screening Coordinator at 785-291-3683,
www.kdheks.gov/ohi
cshipley@kdheks.gov.
Save the date
April 6—7
FLUORIDE VARNISH IN
4th Annual KDHE Center
for Health Disparities
MEDICAL OFFICES
Conference
Capitol Plaza Written by MaryAnn Percy RDH, BSDH fluoride varnish application. The project was
Professional Outreach Coordinator supported by grant funding from the United
Topeka, KS Methodist Health Ministry Fund. A 2007
Kansas is one of seventeen states working to REACH Healthcare Foundation grant allowed
April 16—18 bridge the gap between dental and medical for an additional dental hygienist, MaryAnn
Kansas Dental Association communities to improve children’s health. Percy, to work exclusively in Allen, Johnson,
Annual Meeting Social and dietary changes have led to a and Wyandotte counties.
Hotel at Old Towne dramatic increase in dental decay in very Recently the Kansas Chapter of the American
young children. Although the American Dental Academy of Pediatrics’ developed an on-line
Wichita, KS Association recommends a dental home by training Oral Health Initiative called “Bright
age one, children often do not see a dentist Smiles for Kansas Kids!”, which demonstrates
April 18—22 until age 5. However, they are being seen how to conduct an oral assessment and apply
National Oral Health routinely by medical providers for Kan Be fluoride varnish with 1.2 contact hours of
Conference Healthy check-ups beginning in infancy. The continuing education available for medical
frequency of well-child visits allow for timely professionals. (http://ks.train.org Course
Doubletree Hotel
evaluations of a child’s oral health, prevention number 1013066) A free toolkit containing 50
Portland, OR and early identification of dental problems. fluoride varnish applications and toothbrushes
Kansas Medicaid began reimbursing for is available upon completion. To date, 78
April 20—22 fluoride varnish applications in medical offices health care providers have completed the
Governor’s Public Health in August 2005. Fluoride varnish is safe to use online training and nearly 150 toolkits have
Conference in even the youngest children due to its ability been distributed (valued at $150 each).
to adhere to the tooth surface and not be Additional information on the efficiency and
Wichita Marriott Hotel ingested. The fluoride is then slowly released safety of fluoride varnish is available from the
Wichita, KS over a period of time. The reimbursement rate Association of State and Territorial Dental
and application schedule of 3 times per Directors (www.astdd.org) “Fluoride Varnish:
July 21—22 calendar year is the same for medical an Evidence-Based Approach”.
School Nurse Conference providers as it is for dental offices. If your office would like more information
Hyatt Regency Hotel In 2006, two dental hygienists, Caron Shipley please contact Maggie Smet
and Maggie Smet, were hired through the (msmet@kdheks.gov or 316-833-6383) or
Wichita, KS Office of Oral Health as Professional Outreach MaryAnn Percy (mpercy@kdheks.gov or 913-
Coordinators to provide education to medical 755-1322).
September 22—24 professionals regarding oral assessment and
KHPA Fall Conference
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Wichita, KS

Office of oral
health — kdhe
Curtis State Office Building
1000 SW Jackson
Suite 300
Topeka, Kansas 66612
Tel: 785-296-5116
Fax: 785-291-3959
www.kdheks.gov/ohi