North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative Receives Dogwood Health Trust Funding to Tackle Oral Health Disparities in Western North Carolina | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

    CARY - The North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative (NCOHC), a program of the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation (FHLI), has secured funding to begin tackling the complex needs of people seeking oral health services in western North Carolina.

    NCOHC aims to build an oral health care system that challenges the current oral health status and care delivery environment, affects change in organizational culture, and supports evidence-based best practices. The roughly $740,000, three-year grant from the Dogwood Health Trust represents the nonprofit foundation's continued recognition of oral health as a significant component in advancing overall health, well-being, and quality of life in western North Carolina.

    NCOHC will administer the grant through its regional extension, the Western North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative (WNCOHC). WNCOHC's work will focus on marginalized populations, including the uninsured and underinsured, those with low socioeconomic status, rural residents, and ethnic and racial minorities across 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary.

    Central to WNCOHC's efforts to address the social determinants of health, the funding will support a Patient Advocate Pilot Program, an innovative model for care coordination and case management, deepening the region's referral network.

    Western North Carolina residents face particularly significant disparities in oral health care access and outcomes. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, less than half of adults in western North Carolina have access to dental insurance. Nearly a quarter of adults over 65 in the region have had all their permanent teeth extracted compared to 17.4 percent statewide.

    "As deep as the inequities are in western North Carolina, so is the resiliency and resolve of the region's communities to create meaningful and lasting change," said Dr. Zachary Brian, director of NCOHC and vice president of impact, strategy, and programs at FHLI. "We're thrilled to partner with the Dogwood Health Trust to take a systems-level approach to advance oral health and health equity in the region."

    Many disparities in oral health outcomes are driven by the social determinants of health - environmental and economic factors outside of health care facilities that impact a person's health, well-being, and quality of life. These factors include limited access to transportation, low provider density (especially in rural areas), and financial strain, all of which are especially prevalent in the western part of the state.

    "Dogwood Health Trust's board understands that access to quality oral health care is a cornerstone for overall health and wellness," said Dr. Susan Mims, interim CEO of Dogwood Health Trust. "We are thrilled to be able to support this WNC Oral Health initiative, particularly in historically under-resourced communities, and are eager to see how the Patient Advocate Pilot Program can leverage dental visits to connect individuals and families with even more resources for support and health."

    "This program will transform access and adherence to comprehensive dental treatment, and with so many individuals in need of timely care, this intervention could not be more welcome," said Dr. Alex Green, dental director of the Mountain Community Health Partnership and WNCOHC Steering Committee member. "And, perhaps more importantly, it will demonstrate the importance of offering tailored attention many folks need to navigate the oft-complex world of oral health care and help sustain this model for the long term."

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    About FHLI's North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative

    The North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative (NCOHC), a program of the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation, works to advance systems-level changes, improving the overall health and well-being of all North Carolinians by increasing access and equity in oral health care. NCOHC seeks to influence policy, and through collaboration, listening, and knowledge-sharing, works to provide maximum impact in achieving optimal oral health care for all North Carolina communities.

    About Dogwood Health Trust

    Dogwood Health Trust is a private foundation based in Asheville, North Carolina, with the sole purpose of dramatically improving the health and well-being of all people and communities of 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary in Western North Carolina. Dogwood Health Trust focuses on innovative and equitable ways to address the many factors that contribute to overall health and well-being. With a focus on housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness, Dogwood Health Trust works to create a Western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all, no exceptions. To learn more, please visit www.dht.org.


   Contact: Brady Blackburn
   Content Marketing Manager
   Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation
   Email: brady.blackburn@foundationhli.org
   Phone: 919-533-9934