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These reports address issues and concerns about oral health in North Carolina and nationally.
The March/April 2012 issue of the North Carolina Medical Journal 
policy forum focuses on initiatives that promote oral health and on challenges the state currently faces. Commentaries discuss new practice models and trends in dental practice, dentist workforce numbers, the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine education model, and insurance innovation in dental coverage. Several articles focus on access to oral health care in specific populations including children, adult Medicaid recipients, and people with special needs.
The 2010 Special Care Oral Health Services: A North Carolina Commitment (PDF, 109KB) is a report from the Special Care Dentistry Advisory Group. It examines the current dental care options for populations requiring special care dentistry and provides suggestions for ways to improve the availability of services to those needing such dental services. The Department reported the Advisory Group findings and recommendations to the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging and the Public Health Study Commission.
The Oral Health Section of the Division of Public Health was charged with identifying collaborative partners and coordinating preparation of this report. We worked in collaboration with the N.C Division of Medical Assistance, the N.C. Division of Aging and Adult Services, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the East Carolina University Schools of Dentistry , the North Carolina Dental Society and current providers of special care dental services. The Special Care Advisory Group of providers and consumers, individuals and agencies met twice and developed the sixteen (16) recommendations described in this report.
The 2008-2009 Annual Report (PDF, 1.2MB) provides an overview of services provided by the Oral Health Section.
The 2005 North Carolina Oral Health Summit provided a forum to address oral health access to care issues identified in the 1999 Report to the North Carolina General Assembly and to the Secretary of N.C. DHHS by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (IOM) Task Force on Dental Care Access . The N.C. Oral Health Section hosted the Summit, where state public health policymakers, state dental professionals, local public health officials, and interested citizens could address identified oral health access to care issues in North Carolina.
The goals of the N.C. Oral Health Summit were:
The 2005 Oral Health Summit Proceedings and Action Plan is published by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine.
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The National Call To Action To Promote Oral Health is addressed to professional organizations and individuals concerned with the health of their fellow Americans. It is an invitation to expand plans, activities, and programs designed to promote oral health and prevent disease, especially to reduce the health disparities that affect members of racial and ethnic groups, poor people, many who are geographically isolated, and others who are vulnerable because of special oral health care needs. The National Call To Action To Promote Oral Health, referred to as the Call To Action, reflects the work of a partnership of public and private organizations who have specified a vision, goals, and a series of actions to achieve the goals. It is their hope to inspire others to join in the effort, bringing their expertise and experience to enrich the partnership and thus accelerate a movement to enhance the oral and general health and well-being of all Americans.” – From the Introduction of the National Call To Action to Promote Oral Health
On May 25, 2000, Surgeon General David Satcher released Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General . The report found a lack of awareness of the importance of oral health among the public and a significant disparity between racial and socioeconomic groups in regards to oral health and ensuing overall health issues. The report calls for action to promote access to oral health care for all Americans, especially the disadvantaged and minority children found to be at greatest risk for severe medical complications resulting from minimal oral care and treatment.
In the Summer of 1998, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services requested the assistance of the N.C. Institute of Medicine (IOM) in evaluating and recommending strategies to address the problem of access to primary dental care services for low-income populations in our state. Among the issues of concern was the low level of participation by private dentists in the N.C. Medicaid program. After eight months of research, the N.C. IOM presented its final report to N.C. DHHS.
The complete report from the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force on Dental Care Access (April, 1999) is available on the North Carolina Institute of Medicine website. The 2001 and 2003 report updates are also available on this site.
References and Statistics