HPIO Completes Work with Ohio Dental Workforce Roundtable
The Health Policy Institute of Ohio recently completed its work with the Ohio Dental Workforce Roundtable. This project was started by the Institute in November, 2004, at the request of Dr. Mark Siegal, DDS, MPH, Chief, Bureau of Oral Health Service, Ohio Department of Health. Dr. Siegal asked the Institute to lead a state-wide collaborative effort to explore dental workforce issues and develop recommendations addressing increased access to dental care by vulnerable Ohioans.
Throughout 2005, the Roundtable met to consider workforce concerns that involve a complex range of public policy and professional practice issues. The discussions were lead by Chris Kloth, a professional facilitator hired by the HPIO for this project. Among the challenges addressed by participants were state budget cutbacks, longstanding “turf” concerns, and the increased need for cultural competence in order to adequately serve ethnically diverse populations. Roundtable membership included representatives spanning the oral health care workforce, as well as the public and private not-for-profit sectors. Among the participants were:
- Association of Ohio Health Commissioners
- Ohio Dental Expanded Functions Association
- Case School of Dental Medicine
- Ohio Department of Health
- Ohio State Dental Board
- Ohio Coalition for Oral Health
- Saint Luke’s Foundation of Cleveland
- The Ohio Date University College of Dentistry
- Ohio Dental Association
- Ohio Dental Hygienists’ Association
- ODH Director’s Task Force on Access to Dental Care
Roundtable discussions were spirited and challenging. The dialogues resulted in the development of a set of general core values to guide specific workforce initiatives undertaken in Ohio. In addition, the facilitator used a structured process throughout the meetings to arrive at a set of recommendations that the Roundtable presented to Dr. J. Nick Baird, Director, Ohio Department of Health, in the form of a final report. Some of those recommendations include:
- Increase the number of dental students and general practice residents (GPRs) who provide care in safety net dental clinics (e.g., expand The Ohio State University College of Dentistry’s OHIO project).
- Collect data to monitor dental workforce trends through surveys that accompany licensure renewal.
- Expand existing workforce and economic development strategies in Ohio to include education and training for oral health care personnel, as well as incentives to develop appropriate local business strategies to increase access to care.
- Expand the scope of practice for oral health care personnel by increasing allowableduties/functions so as to increase the capacity of dental practices and clinics.
All of the recommendations, as well as background of the project and the comprehensive policy options discussed by the Roundtable, are included in the Report of the Ohio Dental Workforce Roundtable.
In the coming months HPIO will conduct an evaluation of this project by surveying the project participants.
Anyone having questions or comments about this project should feel free to contact William Hayes or Jill Huntley at the Health Policy Institute of Ohio at 614-224-4950.
