By Linda Ross Reiner, MPH, Vice President, Caring for Colorado Foundation
In our previous blog, we shared an overview of the context and environment that led to the Virtual Dental Home (VDH) movement that’s quickly gaining momentum, nationally.
Here in Colorado, the SMILES Dental Project – our state’s version of the VDH system of care – is a new model that:
- Brings oral health services to rural, remote locations where low-income, at-risk populations go to school, work, socialize and receive general health services;
- Integrates oral health with other services provided in those settings;
- Emphasizes prevention and early intervention oral health procedures; and
- Creates a coordinated dental team via telehealth technologies.
We know that SMILES is an ambitious undertaking, which also includes expanding the skills and responsibilities of oral health professionals, [e.g., training Registered Dental Hygienists (RDHs) to perform Interim Therapeutic Restorations (ITRs)]. But such so-called “task-shifting”is essential for Coloradans who live in areas with limited access to dental services – without sacrificing the quality of care. In fact, this kind of reallocation of resources often produces better overall health outcomes – perhaps because health providers from the same community more successfully get patients to stick to their care plans and catch problems early.VDH implementation is a heavy lift that requires a culture shift – both among oral health professionals and administrators of partner agencies and organizations. But system-wide culture change doesn’t happen overnight: in the next three years, in diverse settings throughout rural Colorado – like schools, assisted living facilities, homeless shelters, community centers and more – the SMILES Dental Project will provide diagnostic, preventive and early intervention restorative care (when more advanced care is required, case managers will support patients to get care in dental offices). To that end, SMILES is already making strides to promote task-shifting, and advance collaboration between dentists in dental offices and our inaugural team of community-based dental hygienists and dental assistants.
SMILES is a new oral health care delivery system in which all Coloradans can receive routine dental services right where we live, work, worship, or go to school – or where we already receive other health services.
Why is that so important to us? Because of the unacceptable reality that as many as half of all Coloradans don’t receive routine dental care, thereby affecting their overall health and well-being, and their ability to concentrate in school and thrive at work. Together, we can do better than that. A lot better. So I invite you to learn more, spread the word, and join the movement!
