Oral Health
About Our Oral Health Initiative
Oral health is an integral part of overall health and it’s key to children’s growth and development. Yet, one in three Wisconsin children are living with untreated dental decay, the most preventable chronic disease in the United States. Children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) are twice as likely to have unmet dental needs, and there are disproportionate levels of access to oral health care in minority and low-income populations.
Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin has been a leader in the Wisconsin oral health access movement for more than 20 years. Our first program was Healthy Smiles for Wisconsin, founded in 1998, which focused on providing school-based sealants. This program evolved into Wisconsin Seal-A-Smile. Since then, the Alliance has led numerous oral health programs, impacted the development of public policy and recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Wisconsin Oral Health Coalition.
More than half of Wisconsin children experience dental disease by age 9.
Each year, nearly 100,000 children in Wisconsin who are enrolled in Medicaid, under age 5, visit a physician but not a dentist.
School-age children without dental sealants have almost 3x more cavities than children with sealants.
What We Do
We facilitate the ongoing efforts of coalition building, program delivery and policy development to increase access and improve the oral health of children and families in Wisconsin. Our Wisconsin Seal-A-Smile Program collaborates to provide school-based oral health prevention services in schools statewide. Healthy Smiles for Mom and Baby is working to improve the oral health of expectant mothers and infants who are underserved. The Wisconsin Oral Health Coalition focuses on oral health policy and its impact on access to care.
Wisconsin Seal-A-Smile
Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin administers the Wisconsin Seal-A-Smile program in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Delta Dental of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Seal-A-Smile provides children with preventive dental services at no cost to children and their families. Research shows 75% of teeth that are sealed remain cavity-free, compared to less than 25% of teeth without dental sealants.
Wisconsin Medical Dental Integration Project
This new project will focus on using quality improvement methods to integrate dental hygienists into primary care medical teams.
Wisconsin Oral Health Coalition
The Wisconsin Oral Health Coalition is a dedicated group of more than 200 individuals, organizations and agencies working to improve oral health and access to dental care through diverse public and private partnerships.
Dental Therapy
Dental therapists are highly trained oral health practitioners that work with dental teams, similar to the way a Physicians’ assistant works with a medical team. Through off-site supervision by a dentist, dental therapists can increase access to care by delivering services in settings that better meet the needs of communities that are underserved – such as in remote clinics, schools and senior residential care facilities.
Contact Our Staff
Matt Crespin, MPH, RDH, FADHA
Executive Director
Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin
(414) 337-4562
mcrespin@childrenswi.org
Amanda Bagin, MPH, CHES
Program Manager
Oral Health
(414) 266-7628
abagin@childrenswi.org
Kasia Wiech, MS
Program Coordinator
Oral Health
(414) 266-7627
kwiech@childrenswi.org
Megan Lockwood, MPH
Program Leader
Oral Health
(414) 266-7319
mlockwood@childrenswi.org
Lindsay Deinhammer, RN, BSN
Program Manager
Oral Health
(414) 337-4563
ldeinhammer@childrenswi.org
Oral Health News
The power of partnerships
The Milwaukee Health Care Partnership (MHCP) hosted the MHCP Showcase and Social on May 29 at the Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Water Tower Commons. As part of the partnership, [...]
Wisconsin’s first dental therapist brings increased access to oral health care
The team at Shawano Family Dentistry is reshaping access to dental care. Nicole Mathew, MDT, RDH Wisconsin's first licensed dental therapist, is working with Rebecca Stevens, DDS to address [...]
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