Increasing Access to Oral Healthcare at Health Centers
Community-Based Clinical Education for Dental Student Grant Advisory Committee:
The 2022-23 state budget makes major investments in healthcare workforce development, including a one-time allocation of $10 million to create new and enhanced community-based clinical education rotations with the goals to 1) improve access to quality healthcare services and 2) foster a health care workforce that can address current and emerging needs. The California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation will allocate the $10 million via grants and is convening an advisory committee to inform application development and eligible organizations. CPCA is excited to partner with the CDA Foundation as a member of the advisory committee to expand dental student rotation opportunities at community health centers. Grant applications are expected to open in 2023, and if you would like to learn more about the funding opportunity, contact CPCA’s Associate Director of Health Center Operations, Amanda Carbajal, at acarbajal@cpca.org.
Report Highlights Oral Health Inequities:
As a member of the California Oral Health Progress and Equity Network, CPCA recently worked with other network member stakeholders to inform the California Pan Ethnic Health Network’s (CPEHN) recent publication, Addressing the Root: Dismantling Systemic Barriers to Oral Health Equity. As part of CPEHN’s Oral Health Equity Group, Dr. Yogita Thakur, Chief Dental Officer, Ravenswood Family Health Network, Dr. Huong Le, Chief Dental Officer, Asian Health Services and Andrea Williams, MPA, Executive Director, Southside Coalition of Community Health Centers also contributed their knowledge and expertise for the report. This report highlights persistent systemic barriers that impact the oral health outcomes of BIPOC communities and offers recommendations to begin addressing these barriers; including highlighting health centers as a crucial part of the healthcare delivery system to increase access to oral health care in these communities.