DHS - Bureau of Community Health Promotion: Oral Health Program

The Oral Health Program promotes and seeks to improve oral health for all citizens in Wisconsin through policy development, technical assistance, needs assessment, training and education.

In addition, the Oral Health Program plans, implements and evaluates the effectiveness of preventive oral health programs in Wisconsin.

Examples of oral health activities

Assessment

  • Analyze determinants of identified oral health needs
  • Assess oral health status and needs so that problems can be identified and addressed including resources

Policy development

  • Mobilize community partnerships
  • Develop plans and policies that support individual and community oral health efforts to address oral health needs

Assurance

  • Inform, educate and empower the public regarding oral health problems
  • Link people to oral health services
  • Support services and implementation of programs

Potential student projects

  • Analyze of geographic distribution of providers, service delivery patterns, referral networks and provider/population ratios
  • Examine costs and policy implications related to access to care
  • Analyze data concerning oral cancer rates and deaths
  • Conduct oral health survey of specific populations
  • Prepare a “burden of oral disease” document for Wisconsin
  • Prepare resource directories of oral health services