NC Oral Health Collaborative

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman because it often results in physical death.”    This often-quoted line from Martin Luther King Jr. is usually presented without the final words “because it often results in physical death.”     On this day commemorating his enduring legacy, it is important to remember his radical vision for a healthier America and what is really at stake when we have inefficient, ineffective systems that don’t prioritize people or their health. https://buff.ly/38nZd3J 

Policy is a vital tool to improve access to health care. This year, we’re launching an ambitious policy agenda to help more North Carolinians get the care they deserve. Interested in learning more? Check out the latest newsletter from our parent organization, the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation, to learn more about our 2025 policy agenda. 

The oral health workforce has long struggled with racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic diversity. This problem goes far beyond representation among the workforce, creating measurable impacts on access to and quality of care. Read more about provider demographics, how they have changed, and what equity means for access to care in our latest blog post. https://buff.ly/4faimrx

You’re invited to be a part of our coalition of advocates and join us on February 18 in Raleigh for our Legislative Breakfast! We will co-host the event with our fellow programs, the Center of Excellence for Integrated Care and the North Carolina Rural Health Association, to advocate for our 2025 oral health, mental health, and rural health priorities for North Carolina. https://buff.ly/3Zue5cL

Registration is almost closed! Calling all new and experienced practice managers and other dental professionals interested in learning more about practice management. We’re launching a brand-new Dental Practice Management Academy with our partners at NC AHEC. There's still time to join, but registration ends today for this crash course in: ➡️ Basic Oral Anatomy and Terminology ➡️ Environmental Scan ➡️ Infection Control ➡️ Medicare & Medicaid ➡️ CDT Coding ➡️ Scope of Practice ➡️ Verification of Benefits ➡️ Reporting & Recordkeeping ➡️ NC State Laws Learn more and register by the end of the day! https://buff.ly/3Du2GCj

Happy New Year! We are excited to kick off 2025 with renewed energy to create a more accessible, equitable future for everyone in our state!

Many factors contribute to the disproportionate race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic representation in the oral health industry and leadership today. This lack of diversity plays a part in the oral health disparities we continue to see. Check out our Diversity in Dentistry blog post to learn more about oral health workforce demographics, the key role of integrated care, and more! https://buff.ly/4faimrx

Happy holidays from the NCOHC team! Wherever you are, we hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday season with your loved ones.

As 2024 comes to a close, we want to celebrate the passing of a full year of Medicaid expansion in North Carolina. In our recent report, the Portrait of Oral Health, we dive deeply into the impact of Medicaid expansion on oral health in our state. As of this month, we are already within 30,000 of our state’s initial 3-year goal of 600,000 new Medicaid enrollees. This is incredible news, but it isn’t the end of the road. Check out the Portrait for more on who is gaining insurance and what it means for North Carolina’s dental workforce. https://buff.ly/4158RXu

We are so excited to announce The Dental Practice Management Academy, a new offering from the Practice Manager Boot Camp designed for new dental practice managers. Register for this 10-hour virtual course from NCOHC and NC AHEC to learn more about practice management! https://buff.ly/3Du2GCj