In September 2008, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) received a one-year grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Adminstration to convene the 2009 Ohio Director of Health's Task Force on Oral Health and Access to Dental Care.  The task force was charged with developing a strategic and implementation plan to improve access for vulnerable Ohioans and to address other oral health issues, building on previous strategic planning processes conducted in 2000, 2004 and 2006.  The task force held its first meeting in December, 2008 (see the agenda and summary of the meeting.) 

Regional meetings were held in February and March to enable local stakeholders to provide input on access to dental care and other oral health issues. Please view the report for a description of the dominant themes and comments that emerged from the regional meetings.  This information was considered by the task force in drafting the strategic and implementation plan.

The task force met on the following dates:

• April 15 (meeting summary)
• May 6 (meeting summary)
• June 17 (meeting summary)
• July 15 (meeting summary)
• Aug. 12

The following links provide additional information:

• a one-page summary that describes the work of the task force
• a list of task force members
• recommendations from the 2000 Director of Health's Task Force
• recommendations from the 2004 Director of Health's Task Force
• the 2006 Report of the Ohio Dental Workforce Roundtable 

A draft strategic and implementation plan has been written and the final version will be posted on this Web page in the coming weeks.  Please contact the Bureau of Oral Health Services at 614/466-4180 or via e-mail at BOHS@odh.ohio.gov for additional information.

Last Updated: 09/08/09 

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