Michigan Oral Health Coalition
7215 Westshire Drive
Lansing, MI
United States
The Michigan Oral Health Coalition (MOHC), established in 2003, serves as Michigan’s state oral health coalition with a clear purpose: to improve oral health for all Michiganders. MOHC focuses on prevention, health promotion, oral health data, access to care, and the vital connection between oral health and overall health.
MOHC has been a grantee since 2011. During this time, MOHC has worked to advance advocacy efforts in several key areas. Through the support of CareQuest Institute, MOHC worked with state oral health coalitions in Kansas and Wisconsin on structured coalition building, establishing local coalitions in 27 communities. They also advocated for the restructuring of Medicaid adult fee for service dental benefit in Michigan and continue to fiercely advocate for continued community water fluoridation.
In 2024, MOHC made important progress in improving Medicaid dental services in Michigan. Collaborating with state legislators, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and other stakeholders, MOHC successfully advocated for the retention of Medicaid adult dental funding, securing increased reimbursement rates, and expanded services. MOHC provided multiple continuing education courses on critical topics, including water fluoridation, silver diamine fluoride, and dental public health careers. Despite temporary delays due to leadership changes, MOHC addressed challenges and sustained progress.
Funding is requested to support MOHC to create a sustainable model that prioritizes population-based efforts designed to minimize health disparities, promote person centered care and promote overall community well-being. Their strategy encompasses three key components: support for community water fluoridation, workforce development in oral health professions, and education initiatives that support both. In addition to these strategies, MOHC will continue to monitor and advocate for policies that increase access to dental services, including improving facility and anesthesia fees for outpatient surgical centers, increasing private providers registered in Medicaid, and supporting safety net dental clinics.
The budget for this proposal is $150,000 which represents 45% of MOHC’s overall budget. Funding will support meetings and travel, including stakeholder engagement and legislative meetings, mini-grants to local coalitions for community-driven projects, consultant fees, and indirect costs.