1607-12355

A Community Dental Health Coordinator (CDHC) is a new member of the dental team, who incorporates oral health knowledge within the general skill set of a community health worker. CDHCs generally come from the community and are trusted intermediaries, advocates and educators for the community. After a three-year pilot program and a class that has graduated from Central Community College in New Mexico, there are thirty-seven CDHCs currently working across the nation in a variety of rural, urban and tribal settings. CDHCs are trained to promote and strengthen an interdisciplinary approach to patient care, which values oral health as an essential component to overall health. CDHCs are also trained to help Medicaid-eligible individuals enroll and understand their benefits, which promotes family-centric care. The CDHC curriculum is being evaluated by community colleges in more than a dozen states for inclusion into existing dental assisting and dental hygiene training programs. It is also being considered for inclusion into existing community health worker education modalities. This proposal addresses an opportunity to provide program support from the President’s Fund for CDHC candidates to enhance their professional development through embracing greater knowledge of oral health within case management, care coordination, patient navigation and cultural competency, thus leading to greater health equity within the communities in which they serve. The American Dental Association (ADA) is requesting President’s Fund support for this Scholarship project in the amount of $20,000 to support the introduction and enhancement of additional CHDCs into local communities.