Oral Health in Rural Communities – Resources

IHS Dental Portal
Presents essential resources and data pertaining to oral health in the Indian Health Service.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
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Water with Fluoride Protects Teeth from Tooth Decay
Presents an interactive map detailing water fluoridation information in each state in the U.S. Breaks down data by county and by city/public water system in participating states.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Organized, Evidence-Based Care: Oral Health Integration
Provides tools to support the integration of oral healthcare into primary care practice. Includes a guide with topics focusing on screening for oral health risk factors and disease, the development of preventive interventions, the role of health information technology, staffing options, collecting data for quality improvement, and case examples of oral healthcare integration in rural primary care settings.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Safety Net Medical Home Initiative
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Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) - Dental Health
A map of the U.S. displaying Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) and HPSA scores for dental health by county, updated daily.
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Scoring Shortage Designations
Provides an overview of the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation scoring criteria, as well as Maternity Care Target Areas (MCTAs). Covers additional criteria and guidelines specific to each of the three types of designations: primary care, dental and mental health. Also covers scoring criteria for the Medically Underserved Area and Medically Underserved Population (MUA/P) designation.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Find Shortage Areas by Address
Searchable tool for identifying Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) by street address, city, and state or a street address and zip code.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Rural Oral Health Toolkit
Designed to help identify an appropriate model and implement an oral health program in your rural community. Contains seven modules: an overview of oral health in rural communities, models and ways to adapt them, resources for implementing programs, sustainability strategies, an evaluation framework, dissemination methods, and examples of programs that have been implemented in rural communities.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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PubMed Search: Dental Health in Rural Areas
Searches PubMed's collection of journal article citations on oral health, dental facilities, and dental care providers in rural areas.
Type: Literature Search
Sponsoring organization: U.S. National Library of Medicine
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Safety Net Dental Clinic Manual
Offers information on partnerships and planning, facilities and staffing, financing, clinic operations, plus quality awareness and improvement of dental clinics. Includes links to sample policies, budget worksheets and design tips.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors
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