Agency - Oral Health Excellence Collaborative (OHEC)

OHEC's mission is to create a regional oral health system with 100% access to emergency, preventive, restorative and specialty dental care through the collaborative efforts of committed individuals, organizations, providers, businesses, funders and legislators

Description:
The work of the 20 Collaborators and other members is guided by Oral Health 2013: A Strategic Plan for Oral Health in Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket Counties, completed in 2010. Our goals are to:
*Reduce the incidence in dental disease
*Increase access to dental care for the low-income uninsured and underinsured
*Enhance services and skills to serve special populations
*Expand, enhance, integrate, and sustain oral health programs and services

Accomplishments include the development of the following:
*Ellen Jones Community Dental Center
*Tooth Tutoring, a school-based dental disease prevention program (that later joined with ForsythKids)
*Cape Cod Dentists Care, a local program where dentists provide very low cost care for income-eligible Barnstable residents
*An oral health needs and resource assessment
*Development of a regional strategic plan for oral health
*Open Wide Preschool Prevention Program offering: 1) oral health training and toothbrushing supplies to preschool educators and 2) preventive care in public and private preschools
*Assessment of oral health status and barriers to care for adults with developmental disabilities

History:
Since 1997, community members have been meeting in task forces to address ways to increase access to affordable dental care and decrease dental disease. In 2007, these efforts were formalized with the creation of the Oral Health Excellence Collaborative.

Contact person: BL Hathaway, Program Director, (phone), (email)

Address:

115 Enterprise Road Hyannis, MA 02601 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.oralhealthexcellence.net

Directions:

The OHEC office is located beyond the west end of the mall. Take Route 132 to the stoplight at the corner of Route 132 and Independence Park. Turn onto Enterprise Road. The OHEC office in the first building. . . (more)

Last updated on March 20, 2013