Right now, an estimated 3.7 million children in our country are eligible but not enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage—which includes dental care. Their parents or caregivers may not know how to enroll or even realize that their children are eligible. Let’s do our part to reach these families and help connect children to coverage. CHIP and Medicaid provide access to oral health care for millions of children in the [...]
Every February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month with a goal to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. The ADA, in collaboration with dental professionals, health care providers, and oral heath advocates, has worked consistently to spread the message of the importance of children’s oral health to communities across the country. Kentucky's State Legislature also took part in recognizing the importance of children's oral health. House Resolution 61, [...]
University of Kentucky first year dental students are a part of the #KySmileTeam. The holiday season brings about many reasons for families to smile, from holiday light displays to opening gifts. Oral health and the holidays are even celebrated in the song “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth.” But many Kentuckians don’t have perfect smiles this holiday season. You are in the unique position to influence health outcomes by [...]
The Kentucky Oral Health Coalition (KOHC), a project of Kentucky Youth Advocates, is proud to announce a new opportunity for communities to improve oral health among children and families. The Kentucky Oral Health Coalition is partnering with the UCLA Health Care Institute (HCI) and the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood to award Community Early Childhood Councils (CECC) mini-grants up to $1,000 to conduct oral health trainings for parents in their communities using an researched curriculum and [...]
With Halloween right around the corner, kids are picking out their favorite costumes, porches are decorated with jack-o-lanterns, and grocery stores are lined with sweet treats to celebrate. But, let’s not forget about the damage too much candy can have on our teeth. Halloween presents a great opportunity to remind your family about the importance of keeping up good oral hygiene, especially to prevent cavities. Walgreens has five tips to keep good oral health during [...]
Children’s health is the foundation of their overall development. Poor health in childhood impacts other critical aspects of a child’s life, such as school readiness and attendance, and can have lasting consequences on his or her future health and well-being. Throughout the years public health insurance programs such as Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) have increased access to coverage among numerous Kentucky children. This can all change as funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expires on September 30, 2015. Children without health insurance coverage [...]
We need your input at the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition’s annual meeting. Join us on Friday, July 25, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. eastern time. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky Training Room at 1640 Lyndon Farm Court, Suite 100, Louisville, KY 40223. We will focus on developing KOHC’s policy agenda for the 2015 Kentucky General Assembly and discuss the next chapter of KOHC including its organizational structure. A detailed agenda will follow. Lunch will [...]
In January, Governor Steve Beshear delivered his Commonwealth address and stressed the importance of improving the health of our residents in hopes of attracting and retaining good paying jobs for the citizens of Kentucky. Governor Beshear mentioned several issues related to health including efforts to improve dental care for Kentuckians. In February, Governor Beshear also launched the Kentucky Health Now initiative, which among other priorities, sets goals to increase adult dental visits by 10% by [...]
A recent poll revealed that just over half (51%) of Kentucky adults reported not having dental insurance coverage. In most instances, children have the opportunity to receive health and dental coverage through their parents’ insurance or the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP). Does your child or children have dental coverage? With less than a week remaining for open enrollment through Kynect, Kentucky’s Health Benefit Exchange, this is your opportunity to enroll now! For many [...]
Today, the House Health and Welfare committee passed HB 173, which would make indoor workplaces smoke-free. Testimony by the lead co-sponsors of the bill, Representatives Susan Westrom and Julie Raque-Adams, highlighted the importance of this public health issue for everyone in the Commonwealth. Senator Julie Denton, who filed SB 117, a companion bill in the Senate, recalled a training she completed as a dental hygienist on tobacco and its harmful effects on every system in [...]
