Here you will find the latest oral health news and Local Oral Health Program announcements and activities. Check back periodically for updates.
February 01, 2023
A new (first) study published by JAMA indicates there is no difference in efficacy using fluoride varnish and silver diamine fluoride when compared to the use of glass-ionomer dental sealants. The results may support the use of silver diamine fluoride as an arresting and preventive agent in school-based oral health programs. Click here to read the study.
December 06, 2022
The 28th Annual Conditions of Children’s Report in Orange County is released. Approximately two in three children, 3- to 11-years olds (67.8%), visited the dentist within the last 6 months in 2020, representing a decrease from 77.3% in 2019. Learn more about the health of children and youth in the report. https://www.ssa.ocgov.com/about-us/news-publications/COCR
July 20, 2022
The Oral Health Collaborative has their first meeting to develop the Orange County Oral Health Strategic Plan for the next five year (2022-2027) grant cycle. Monthly meetings are scheduled between July and December 2022.
July 18, 2022
The LOHP creates a video on oral care during pregnancy to help pregnant people with their daily dental care habits and routine dental visits during pregnancy. Spanish.
June 30, 2022
The Orange County Local Oral Health Program releases two (2) oral care quick tips resources to help aging adults and caregivers:
May 11, 2022
The LOHP creates an infant oral care video to help parents and caregivers with their baby’s daily dental care to prevent tooth decay. Spanish.
May 01, 2022
Medi-Cal Older Adult Expansion – Adults 50 years of age or older who are currently enrolled in restricted scope Medi-Cal (often called Emergency Medi-Cal) are eligible for full scope Medi-Cal benefits. Immigration status does not matter, but all other Medi-Cal eligibility rules still apply.
March 09, 2022
The National Council on Disability (NCD) releases the report Medicaid Oral Health Coverage for Adults with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) – A Fiscal Analysis. The NCD’s ongoing policy focus on health equity led NCD to pursue an examination of dental care experiences specific to individuals with I/DD under Medicaid. The report, in its preliminary research, examines how to improve the oral health of people with I/DD.
March 04, 2022
The LOHP creates Tips to Protect Our Teeth as We Get Older video to help aging adults with their daily dental care. Spanish. Vietnamese.
February 03, 2022
The LOHP develops a medical referral (clearance) for dental services form to help increase the number of pregnant patients that are referred for dental services. The referral form is completed by a pregnant patient’s medical provider and then the form is provided to a dental provider by the patient.
January 09, 2022
Smile, California announces Medi-Cal will cover dental during pregnancy and 12 months postpartum starting on April 1, 2022.
January 06, 2022
A FAQ Perinatal Health resource was developed to help medical and dental providers quickly address common questions or concerns on dental care during pregnancy and provide resources with more detailed guidelines.
December 21, 2021
The Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health in America – Advances and Challenges is released. The report explores the nation’s oral health over the last 20 years.
November 10, 2021
The LOHP begins to develop a resource on oral health quick tips for the aging community and caregivers. The resource was created due to the limited availability of dental care information for these groups.
August 05, 2021
An HPV Vaccine Quick Tips document and a resource webpage with oral health recommendations for dental providers was developed by the LOHP.
July 14, 2021
The LOHP develops four (4) Public Service Announcements (PSAs) to encourage parents to take their child to the dentist for preventive dental care. Many children had not received preventive dental care due to the decrease of school-based dental services and parents fear due to misinformation of receiving care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 31, 2021
LOHP launches a pregnancy media campaign to help increase the number of pregnant patients that see a dentist during pregnancy. Pregnancy campaign bus ads were placed on 23 specific bus routes throughout Orange County. Mobile media ads were also used. People who clicked on the ads were directed to the Health Referral Line number or directed to the Pregnancy/Post-Partum landing page on Smile Habits OC.
April 14, 2021
A public service announcement (PSA) dental safety video was created by the LOHP and the Coalition of Orange County Community Health Centers. The video was developed to explain to the community that it is safe to see the dentist.
October 21, 2020
The LOHP develops The Magical Toothbrush oral health education video. The video helps children learn the importance of taking care of their teeth with proper, daily dental care and how to prevent cavities from eating a healthy diet low in sugar.
May 18, 2020
The Local Oral Health Collaborative and Workgroups shift from in-person meetings to teleconferencing due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
May 01, 2020
A media campaign to promote Smile Habits OC was launched. Bus ads and social media ads were used to promote the website. Bus ads were placed on 37 routes in OC, with routes focused in the cities of Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Westminster. Passengers that viewed the social media ads were redirected to the Smile Habits OC landing page.
April 02, 2020
A COVID-19 resource page was developed for Smile Habits OC. The webpage contains resources from the CDC, OC Health, the American Dental Association, My Plate and more to help the community during the pandemic.
February 19, 2020
The Local Oral Health Program (LOHP) begins working with the Medicaid Medicare CHIP Services Dental Association (MSDA) to implement the school-based oral health assessments, evaluation of the program, and meeting the goals of the Strategic Plan.
January 24, 2020
The Local Oral Health Program (LOHP) launches the Smile Habits OC newsletter. The monthly newsletter highlights oral health information and resources for the general public, community partners, organizations, and medical and dental providers.
July 12, 2019
The Orange County Health Care Agency Local Oral Health Program (OC-LOHP) releases its Evaluation Plan for 2019-2022. The evaluation will assess how the OC-LOHP’s activities and leadership are supporting the implementation of the Orange County Oral Health Strategic Plan 2018-2022. Click here to read the evaluation plan.
October 2018
The Orange County Local Oral Health Program (OC-LOHP) develops the Oral Health Strategic Plan 2018-2022. The plan will help work towards the vision goal: All Orange County residents have opportunities and resources for optimal oral health. Oral Health Strategic Plan 2018-2022.
September 24, 2018
Orange County Local Oral Health Program (OC-LOHP) launched Smile Habits OC – a public awareness campaign that focuses on basic key oral health messages of brush your teeth twice a day and see your dentist twice a year. English, Spanish and Vietnamese bus ads will run on specific routes within central and parts of west Orange County.
Simultaneously, a digital marketing campaign will also commence to promote the key oral health messages on the SmileHabitsOC.org website. The website is available in English and Spanish.
August 30, 2018
LA County Department of Public Health in partnership with the Center for Oral Health and Valley Care Community Consortium convenes a meeting of Southern California Region Oral Health Stakeholders in Los Angeles, California to launch the California Oral Health Plan. The event was held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels at 555 West Temple St. in Los Angeles.
July 19-20, 2018
The State Oral Health Program convened an Oral Health Summit appropriately titled Time to Smile: Oral Health Is On The Move! The summit was held in Sacramento at the Holiday Inn Downtown – Arena. For more information about this event, click here.
April 17, 2018
OC Local Oral Health Program convened an all-community Strategic Planning Retreat at the Public Health 17th Street Campus Training Center located at 1725 W. 17th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706.
January 23, 2018
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released CA Oral Health Strategic Plan 2018-2028.
January 5, 2018
Orange County established the Local Oral Health Program (OC-LOHP) with funding from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that was made possible by the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016.
January 1, 2018
Medi-Cal Dental also known as Denti-Cal restored adult optional dental benefits for beneficiaries ages 21 and older with full-scope coverage. To learn more about these services, please visit Smile California.
