Oral Health Research and Evaluation
The Center for Rural Health (CRH) has been funded by the North Dakota Department of Health Oral Health Program to complete an evaluation of two federally-funded oral health programs and to assist in research activities related to the project. Specifically, the Oral Health Program has received funding from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration to implement a variety of oral health prevention and education activities.
Evaluation Activities
CRH is responsible for evaluating, documenting, and sharing state program accomplishments, challenges, best practices, evaluation results, and lessons learned.
Evaluation activities assess the impact of several projects which include:
- Dental and medical integration
- Dental student rotations in Federally Qualified Health Centers
- Care coordination in a school-based dental sealant program
- Community water fluoridation
- Oral health surveillance data collection and reporting
- Pain management practices among dental providers
- Smiles for Life oral health curriculum
Research Activities
CRH is responsible for reviewing state and national data sets and updating data surveillance reports, websites, and other research products.
Activities under oral health research include:
- Reviewing statewide population data from the Basic Screening Surveys conducted among third-grade students, kindergarteners, and aging populations
- Review of public-use data to identity oral health measures for the state of North Dakota
- Review and reporting of Medicaid data related to oral health care
- Development of the Burden of Disease report in partnership with the Oral Health Program