Background
The ADA’s mission endorses a commitment to the public’s oral health, professional ethics, science and professional advancement, and leads a unified profession through initiatives in advocacy, education, research and the development of standards.
In support of its mission, the ADA is pleased to announce the development of a new member of the oral health team, a Community Dental Health Coordinator (CDHC). The CDHC will be responsible for promoting oral health through organized and dentally coordinated community-based promotion and prevention programs. As a member of the dental team led by a dentist, the CDHC will work in underserved communities where residents have no or limited access to dental care. They will influence local health and community organizations to adopt initiatives to promote oral health.
The CDHC will be new entry level allied dental personnel employed by Federally Qualified Health Clinics, the Indian Health Service and tribal clinics, state or county public health clinics, or private practitioners serving the dentally underserved areas. As a member of the dental team, the CDHC will enable the existing dental workforce to expand its reach deep into underserved communities and influence local health and community organizations to adopt initiatives to promote oral health.
The ADA advocates for access to oral health care for underserved communities and has been promoting oral health through community-based initiatives since its inception. This CDHC program is the outcome of one such initiative.
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Committee
In 2006 the Workforce Models National Coordinating and Development Committee (NCDC) was established to create a CDHC model training program. The Workforce Models NCDC was charged to identify funding to pilot the training program in at least three sites selected and to monitor the pilot programs and report progress to the ADA Board of Trustees and the ADA Foundation.
Members of the Workforce Models NCDC and Curriculum Committee (CC) were appointed by the ADA President and have expertise in dentistry, dental education, public health, instructional design and program evaluation.
Dr. Robert Brandjord chairs the NCDC. Committee members include Dr. Amid Ismail, Dr. John W. McFarland, Dr. Kathy O’Loughlin, Dr. Vincent Filanova and Dr. William K. Rich. The Workforce Models NCDC is supported by the CDHC CC, charged to assist the NCDC in fulfilling its curriculum-related assignments. Members of the CC include Dr. Amid Ismail (chair), Admiral Carol I.Turner, Ms. JoAnn Allen Nyguist, Dr. Judith Skelton, Dr. Marshall Kreuter, Dr. Paul Glassman and Dr. Robert J. Weyant.
The Workforce Models NCDC called for letters of interest to identify potential institutions for piloting the program. Interested schools, institutions and other organizations were invited to submit a letter of interest for participation in both developing the model curriculum under Phase 1 and serving as a pilot training site under Phase 2.
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Phase 1
Phase 1 of the program involved development of a model CDHC training program by the ADA’s Workforce Models NCDC and CC. Approximately 18 months in length, the model program includes a comprehensive curriculum with objectives, outlines, teaching aides, resources, learning activities and evaluation mechanisms. Phase 1, funded by the ADA Foundations, was initiated in November 2006 and concluded in December 2007.
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Phase 2
Phase 2 calls for the CDHC training program model to be piloted in urban, rural and Native American reservations.
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Pilot Training Sites
The pilot training program sites are:
- Urban—Michigan Coalition for Development and Implementation of the Community Dental Health Coordinators, in collaboration with the Wayne County Community College District. Pending state approval, this training will occur in Federal Qualified Health Centers.
- Rural—University of Oklahoma, with Rio Salado College (Arizona) delivering the on-line components of the curriculum. The hands-on clinical training will occur in Indian Health Service facilities and Federally Qualified Health Centers.
- Native American—UCLA and Salish Kootenai College, with Rio Salado College (Arizona) delivering the on-line components of the curriculum. The hands-on clinical training will occur in Indian Health Service facilities in several different states.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Download the Frequently Asked Questions document for additional information.
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