Oral Health

Oral Health News

Announcements*

Please see Oral Health News Archive for past announcements.

• RIte Smiles - RIte Smiles is a new dental program for young children who have Medical Assistance coverage. Children are eligible if they have Medical Assistance coverage (RIte Care, RIte Share, or Medical Assistance) and were born on or after May 1, 2000. Additional information for Families and Dental Professionals can be viewed at this site.
• 1st Annual RI Oral Health Summit - The RI Oral Health Summit was convened on March 29, 2006 and held in conjunction with the RI Senate Commission on Oral Health, chaired by Senator Elizabeth Roberts. More than 100 stakeholders attended the Summit to provide feedback on the Draft RI Oral Health Plan , a future-focused, five-year framework for action that builds upon recommendations developed by the Senate Commission in 2001.
• Children with Special Health Care Needs/Oral Health Forum - Family Voices of RI and the Oral Health Program, RI Department of Health collaborated and received funding from the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) for a statewide forum to address the oral health of children with special health care needs (CSHCN).
• CDC Statement on the 2006 National Research Council (NRC) Report on Fluoride in Drinking Water - CDC addresses the fluoride report issued by NRC and continues to recommend community water fluoridation as a safe, effective, and inexpensive way to prevent tooth decay (dental caries) among populations living in areas with adequate community water supply systems.
• AAPD Announces Current Policies & Guidelines - The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) has announced its 2005-06 Oral Health Policies and Clinical Guidelines. The AAPD advocates policies, guidelines and programs that promote optimal oral health and oral health care for children.
• Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report: Dental Visits Among Dentate Adults with Diabetes --- United States, 1999 and 2004 - Per state estimates from the 2004 BRFSS, Rhode Island is one of seven states that have reached the Healthy People 2010 objective of 71% of people with diabetes having a dental visit in the previous year.
• Early Childhood Oral Health (ECOH) Coalition - The ECOH Action Plan and 2005 Progress to Date Addendum were distributed to statewide stakeholders in October 2005. Topics include Issues/Problems, Promising Strategies and Outputs affecting early childhood oral health in RI.
• Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report: " Surveillance for Dental Caries, Dental Sealants, Tooth Retention, Edentulism and Enamel Fluorosis-United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2002 " - The oral health status of Americans has significantly improved during the past decade, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The report uses data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and provides the most current estimates of dental conditions such as cavities, use of dental sealants to prevent cavities and tooth loss.

* Links to agencies, institutions and organizations other than the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) are provided solely as a service to users and do not constitute an endorsement by HEALTH.