Delaware Oral Health Program
OVERVIEW
Our goal in the oral health program is to improve oral health and wellness for the people of Delaware. Oral health encompasses more than just healthy teeth. It involves the health of the oral cavity and related structures and has implications on overall well-being. Our goals mirror those of the Surgeon General’s “Call to Action to Promote Oral Health” released May 2003, which are:
- To promote oral health
- To improve quality of life
- To eliminate oral health disparities
State Oral Health Collaborative Systems Grant (SOHCS)
In 2003, Delaware’s Division of Public Health successfully competed for the SOHCS grant. The purpose of the grant is to improve access to dental care and to reduce the burden of oral disease among children in Delaware. Additionally, it has focused on developing lasting community collaborations and partnerships that will facilitate Delaware in coordinating, integrating and maintaining continuous dental care access for Delawareans.
Sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the State Oral Health Collaborative Systems Grant Program will bolster state oral health programs whose patients include women and children eligible for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Funds will support broad-based efforts to improve overall dental coverage by stimulating planning and public/private partnerships and by integrating community support systems. Funds also will be used to treat and prevent early childhood decay through dental sealant and other prevention programs.
The Delaware Oral Health Program practices the core public health functions to protect and promote health, wellness and the quality of life as well as to prevent disease, injury disability and death. We are committed to providing assessment, policy development and assurance to increase access to oral health care in our community.
