Community Health Data Scan
Our Priority Areas

Oral Health

Making Oral Health a Part of Daily Life

Many families often don’t go to the dentist because oral health is not perceived as a priority amongst many competing demands.

Oral health problems are responsible for more missed school days than any other type of health problem. Studies show that gum disease during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of preterm birth or a low-birth-weight baby.

Our vision is that low-income families embark on a lifetime of good oral health and disease prevention.

We evolve as we learn. Our forthcoming new Strategic Plan and focus on Health Equity is a reflection of this adaptation. Check back in May 2013 for an overview of the new strategy.

The following Goals and Objectives serve as a strategic framework for our current Oral Health initiative:

(Note: Oral Health will be phased out as a distinct program area by the end of 2017. Actions to integrate oral health into health care delivery systems will occur within the Health Equity initiative.)

Goal 1: Strengthen the advocacy infrastructure to sustain improvements in oral health access for low-income families.

Objective 1: Bolster the leadership capacity of key stakeholders, organizations and coalitions to advocate for policies and regulations that maintain and improve oral health access for low- income families.

Goal 2: Support system changes that promote oral health care for low-income pregnant women.

Objective 1: Develop and integrate new dental and obstetric practice and referral systems to increase the number of pregnant women receiving oral health care.

Objective 2: Promote integration of new oral health care practice and referral guidelines into statewide maternal and child health programs.

Grantees in this area

University of Connecticut Health CenterChildren’s Dental Health ProjectDentaQuest FoundationSaint Francis Hospital and Medical CenterConnecticut Voices for ChildrenConnecticut Association of School Based Health CentersCommunity Health Center, Inc.Connecticut Mission of MercyConnecticut Voices for ChildrenUnited Connecticut’s Action for Neighborhoods, Inc.Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers Connecticut Oral Health InitiativeConnecticut Mission of MercyDentaQuest FoundationUniversity of Connecticut Health CenterUniversity of Connecticut Health CenterUnited Community & Family Services, Inc.Southwest Community Health CenterConnecticut Mission of MercyFamily Strides, Inc.Connecticut Oral Health InitiativeCommunity Health Center, Inc.University of Connecticut Health CenterConnecticut Oral Health InitiativeConnecticut Mission of MercyConnecticut Head Start Collaborative OfficeCommunity Health & Wellness Center of Greater TorringtonUniversity of Connecticut Health CenterNew Britain Oral Health CollaborativeFamily Medicine Education Consortium, Inc.Connecticut Oral Health InitiativeConnecticut Mission of MercyCommunity Health Center, Inc.University of Connecticut Health CenterSouthwest Community Health CenterNew Haven Oral Health CollaborativeHospital for Special CareCornell Scott Hill Health CenterDanbury Oral Health CollaborativeConnecticut Oral Health InitiativeBridgeport Oral Health Collaborative (ORBIT) University of Connecticut Health CenterUniversity of Connecticut Health CenterUnited Community and Family ServicesLedge Light Health DistrictGenerations Family Health CenterGenerations Family Health CenterGenerations Family Health CenterConnecticut Primary Care AssociationConnecticut Department of Public HealthCommunity Health Center, Inc.Community Health Center, Inc.Waterbury Oral Health CollaborativeURU, The Right To Be, Inc.New Haven Oral Health CollaborativeNew Britain Oral Health Collaborative
Middletown School Readiness CouncilSoutheast Mental Health System of CareFamily Medicine Education ConsortiumDanbury Oral Health CollaborativeConnecticut Oral Health InitiativeConnecticut Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Inc.Community Health Center, Inc.Bridgeport Oral Health Collaborative (ORBIT)Bridgeport Oral Health Collaborative (ORBIT)Waterbury Oral Health InitiativeThe Dental Center of StamfordStudent Health OUTreach (SHOUT)Southeast Connecticut Oral Health InitiativeNew Britain Oral Health CollaborativeHartford-East Hartford Oral Health CollaborativeGenerations Family Health CenterWaterbury Oral Health CollaborativeWaterbury Oral Health CollaborativeStamford Oral Health CollaborativeStamford Oral Health CollaborativeSoutheast Connecticut Oral Health CollaborativeSoutheast Connecticut Oral Health CollaborativeNew Haven Oral Health CollaborativeNew Haven Oral Health CollaborativeNew Britain Oral Health CollaborativeHartford-East Hartford Oral Health CollaborativeDanbury Oral Health CollaborativeDanbury Oral Health CollaborativeConnecticut Oral Health InitiativeBridgeport Oral Health Collaborative (ORBIT)Tunxis Community CollegeStudent Health Services of StamfordStamford Oral Health CollaborativeStamford Oral Health CollaborativeSoutheast Connecticut Oral Health CollaborativeMaria Seymour Brooker Memorial, Inc.Hartford HospitalHartford/East Hartford Oral Health CollaborativeGenerations Family Health Center, Inc.Dental Center of StamfordDanbury Public Schools Danbury Public Schools Connecticut Oral Health InitiativeWaterbury Oral Health CollaborativeConnecticut Oral Health InitiativeNew Haven Oral Health CollaborativeNew Britain Oral Health CollaborativeHartford/East Hartford Oral Health CollaborativeBridgeport Oral Health Collaborative (ORBIT)Student Health Services of Stamford, Inc.Connecticut Department of Public HealthConnecticut Oral Health InitiativeNortheast District Department of HealthHospital of Saint RaphaelCornell Scott Hill Health CenterApply for a grant