The Center for Oral Health (COH) is proud to announce the release of a new series of publications, supported by the CareQuest Oral Health Institute, marking a significant milestone in the systematic integration of oral health into California’s school health system.
The new resources provide comprehensive guidance for addressing oral health disparities in schools, promoting a whole-child health model, and advancing sustainable dental service integration.
“Bridging the Gap: A Needs Assessment of School-Based Oral Health Disparities for Urban and Rural Children in California” reveals significant oral health inequities between urban and rural students.
Based on stakeholder surveys, school district data, and regional comparisons, the report calls for targeted investments in school dental programs to support underserved communities.
Another publication, “Implementation Guide: Integrating Health Centers with Oral Health Services,” offers a step-by-step strategy to help school districts and health partners integrate dental care into existing health services without major restructuring.
The guide emphasizes equity, prevention, and operational feasibility, and provides methods for building sustainable provider relationships and managing informed consent and compliance processes, all while aligning with the California Oral Health Plan and the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model.
Additionally, “Integrating Oral Health into School Wellness: An Advocacy Guide for School Leaders and Community Partners” provides school administrators, health teams, and community advocates with practical tools to effectively demonstrate the importance of oral health in school systems.
Using successful examples from Sacramento, Alpine, and Trinity counties, the guide translates key findings into actionable discussion points and policy strategies, helping advocates turn awareness into action and promote the implementation of oral health services in schools.
“These three publications demonstrate our unwavering commitment to transforming school environments into equitable preventive care delivery points,” said Tiffany Turner, CEO of the Center for Oral Health.
“We are honored to partner with CareQuest to advance oral health as a core component of a child’s overall well-being, not just an optional service.”