DentaQuest bolsters U.S. dental safety net programs

The DentaQuest Foundation has chosen five new state/regional primary care associations (PCAs) to participate in the Strengthening the Oral Health Safety Net Initiative.

The national program, instituted in 2011, promotes oral health access at community health centers across the U.S.

The five new PCAs added to the safety net initiative are listed below:

• Michigan Primary Care Association
• Mississippi Primary Health Care Association
• Ohio Association of Community Health Centers
• Oregon Primary Care Association
• Bi-State Primary Care Association (New Hampshire & Vermont)

They join the five initiative partners from 2011: the Arizona Association of Community Health Centers, the Georgia Association for Primary Health Care, the Illinois Primary Health Care Association, the Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved, and the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers.

Each award consists of grant funds plus direct practice improvement technical assistance for safety net dental programs provided in-kind by the Safety Net Solutions team of the DentaQuest Institute, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the DentaQuest Foundation. The grants are designed to help promote oral health leadership, develop oral health expertise, encourage collaboration among dental and medical programs, and advance safety net oral health needs at the state level.