Oral Health Care Services
Community health centers (CHCs) are distinguished by their comprehensive range of health care services. For instance, 36 out of the 50 CHC member organizations in Massachusetts operate dental practices across 55 locations statewide. Many of these practices are expanding, and several health centers that lack dental services are initiating projects to incorporate them. Notably, health centers have doubled their number of dental programs since 2000 in response to increasing demand for high-quality, affordable dental care. To address this rising need, health centers employ over 86 full-time dentists, 160 dental assistants, 42 dental hygienists, and more than 20 dental residents. Collectively, Massachusetts’ CHC dental providers served over 155,000 dental patients in 2022.
Community Health Center Dental Sites
For a list of health centers that provide dental services, click on the button below and select “dental care” for the type of service.
Oral Health Initiatives
The Mass League continues to work with multiple stakeholders to address issues related to medical/dental integration and improving health equity. Current oral health initiatives that the Mass League supports are summarized below.
Promoting Remote Initiatives in Dental Engagement (PRIDE) is a four-year grant funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The Mass League collaborates with the Office of Oral Health at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to offer training and technical support to CHC sites. This initiative aims to introduce portable and teledentistry solutions, enhancing access to dental health care in areas facing provider shortages.
The Oral Health Equity Grant is funded by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. Under this grant, the Mass League collaborates with health equity content experts to develop training modules for dental staff at CHCs. These modules aim to integrate a health equity perspective, specifically targeting implicit bias within dental departments. The goal is to implement these training modules effectively as a pilot initiative with CHC dental staff and providers.
Community Health Center Dental Director Peer-to-Peer Forum is a network of Massachusetts CHC dental directors that provides peer engagement and collaboration. The Mass League organizes and hosts monthly forums for dental directors, offering opportunities for peer discussions, presentations on oral health, and technical assistance. Additionally, they manage an active dental listserv and online community where dental directors can ask questions and post resources.
PCA Oral Health Collaborative (POHC) is a collaborative network of primary care associations (PCAs) like the Mass League that support CHCs. This initiative is uniquely positioned as a PCA peer network, offering opportunities to support and protect policies and provide direct technical assistance to Federally Qualified Health Centers. The POHC comprises oral health representatives from PCAs across the nation, representing more than 37 states.
Provider Resources
Click on the following resource links:
- Oral Health Communication Primer
- National Network for Oral Health Access
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health
- Community Water Fluoridation Status
For more information on Mass League’s oral health initiatives, please contact Katie Jahreis, the Mass League’s Senior Manager of Oral Health and Integrated Care.
