November 20, 2006
State Releases Plan to Improve Oral Health
The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has released a plan aimed at improving the oral health of Montanans over the next five years.
The plan explores ways to:
- Increase awareness of the importance of oral health and its relationship to overall health and well-being;
- Increase efforts to prevent oral disease;
- Ensure an adequate workforce of dental professionals statewide;
- Increase access to dental care;
- Improve funding for oral health and dental care;
- Identify and interpret oral health data; and
- Develop and sustain partnerships to improve oral health.
“Dental care is essential to overall health,” said Maggie Virag, oral health specialist for DPHHS. “Early prevention and treatment of oral disease can result in significantly improved outcomes for pregnancy, heart disease, and diabetes.”
And yet, Virag said, many Montanans are unable to get good oral health care, in part because many counties have no dentists or hygienists.
“People who are low income, uninsured or underinsured, geographically isolated, or vulnerable because of special health-care needs especially have trouble getting access to good oral health care,” Virag said
The Montana Oral Health Plan is the state’s response to a 2003 call to action by the U.S. Surgeon General to promote oral health. The plan was developed in collaboration with the Montana Oral Health Alliance and the DPHHS Family and Community Health Bureau Advisory Council.
Copies of the plan are available online at www.fchb.mt.gov (click on “Oral Health” in the left-hand menu) or by calling the DPHHS Family and Community Health Bureau, 406-444-4572.
The Montana Oral Health Alliance, a coalition of public and private organizations and concerned citizens, will discuss implementation of the plan at a meeting Dec. 15 from 10 a.m. to noon, via a statewide webcast.
For more information on the plan, the alliance, or the webcast, contact Virag at 406-444-0276 or mvirag@mt.gov.
