ADVANCING ORAL HEALTH IN KANSAS: THE IMPACT OF APPLIED PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AT THE BUREAU OF ORAL HEALTH

Abstract

This report summarizes my experiences captured during my tenure as an intern at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) in the Bureau of Oral Health (BOH). The BOH at the KDHE is committed to promoting and improving the oral health of Kansans. The BOH achieves this through various initiatives and programs aimed at preventing oral diseases and promoting oral health in communities throughout the state. Over the course of months, I gained invaluable experience in public health practices and community-based programs and have been exposed to a wide variety of projects and initiatives aimed at improving the oral health outcomes of Kansans. Amalia Almeida and Debra Trybom served as my preceptors and provided me with tasks during our weekly meetings. The primary objective of this integrated learning experience (ILE) is to provide an insight into the operations of a state public health department, including the policies and principles necessary for effective management of the agency at all levels of service. At the Bureau of Oral Health, I have had the chance to learn about the many ways in which the BOH works to promote oral health equity and access to care. As a part of my internship, I was involved in several projects aimed at promoting oral health and improving access to dental care in Kansas. One of my primary contributions was creating a comprehensive map of public and private K-12 schools throughout the state along with the screeners that carry out dental screenings at schools in Kansas. This map not only provides a visual representation of the locations of the public and private schools but also allows the BOH to better understand where access to oral health services may be limited. I was involved in the development of a white paper proposing statutory changes to increase the number of trained school-based healthcare staff who can perform dental screenings. This included collaborating with BOH staff and contributing to the writing and editing of the proposal. My contributions to this white paper aimed to provide evidence-based recommendations and persuasive arguments in support of the proposed changes. In addition to this, I wrote an article for the BOH's newsletter, highlighting the need for increased access to dental screenings in Kansas schools and the proposed changes to oral health legislation. My work at the BOH allowed me to gain practical experience in public health promotion, legislative advocacy, and oral health policy development.