Oral Health Program (OHP)
Who We Are
The Stanislaus County Oral Health Program is part of the Office of Oral Health’s statewide initiative to improve the oral health of all Californians.
Vision: Cavity free kids!
Mission: Working together to improve oral health.
Goal: By 2030, reduce oral health disparities by 50% among school-aged children.
Values:
- Prevent the onset of poor oral health.
- Protect oral health and achieve health equity by focusing on those at most-risk.
- Promote coordinated, cross-sector, data-driven approaches that sustain efforts overtime.
What We Do
To reach the vision of Cavity Free Kids, we provide resources, coordination, education, training, and technical assistance locally to schools, parents, partners, and providers. Our five priority areas are:
- Collaboration and Partnerships
- Community Resources and Linkage to Care
- School-Linked Dental Programs
- Surveillance
- Community Water Fluoridation
What We Offer
Partnerships and Collaborations are vital to creating and sustaining oral health improvements. Recognizing this, we serve as the backbone for the Stanislaus County Oral Health Advisory Committee (OHAC). The committee is a partnership of local oral health associations, school districts, health plans, federally qualified health centers, community-based organizations, and social services programs.
Community Resources and Linkage to Care information is provided to empower everyone to have a healthy smile. Resources like, how to find a dentist, transportation services and coverage, are built into all of our community education and outreach efforts.
School-Linked Dental Programs help keep students healthy and ready to learn by providing oral prevention and link students to a dental home. We collaborate with schools and dental professionals to increase access to screenings, preventive services, and linkages to care by establishing school-linked dental programs.
Community Water Fluoridation is a community-driven public health intervention to make a lasting improvement in their oral health. Efforts to add fluoride to drinking water requires policy, system and environmental changes such as passing laws, regulations and resolutions, creating infrastructure and training. We conduct community education and awareness activities about the safety, benefits and cost effectiveness of community water fluoridation and its role in preventing dental disease.
Improve Surveillance to help provide local level actionable health information. We provide technical assistance and training to school administration, school nurse and health clerks.
The Stanislaus County Oral Health Program is made possible by Proposition 56, the California Healthcare, Research, and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016.
