Dental Champions - Oral Health Kansas

Dental Champions - Oral Health Kansas Dental Champions is a leadership program developed by Oral Health Kansas.

The program offers participants leadership and personal development training as well as other training focused on planning and organizational skills and up-to-date information about the oral health scene in Kansas and the nation.

The National Oral Health Conference (NOHC) is an annual meeting that brings together the dental public health community ...
09/28/2025

The National Oral Health Conference (NOHC) is an annual meeting that brings together the dental public health community to learn more about dental public health. The 2026 conference will be held in Oklahoma City on April 13-15. The NOHC planning committee has extended the Abstract Submissions for the 60- and 90-minute Seminars and Round Tables to Tuesday, September 30 at 10:45pm CST.

Deadline dates are now as follows:
• 60- and 90-minute sessions – September 30
• Roundtables – September 30
• General Posters – October 31, 2025
• Oral Presentations– October 31, 2025
• AAPHD Leverett Graduate Student Merit Awards – October 31, 2025
• AAPHD Predoctoral Dental Students Awards – October 31, 2025
• AAPHD Dental Hygiene Student Awards – October 31, 2025
• Weekend workshops

https://www.abstractscorecard.com/cfp/submit/login.asp?EventKey=WHPJTJGX

Questions? Please contact the NOHC Office at [email protected].

We held our second to the last webinar series on Tuesday, September 23. The topic was Do Well by Doing Good: Medicaid Op...
09/27/2025

We held our second to the last webinar series on Tuesday, September 23. The topic was Do Well by Doing Good: Medicaid Opportunities. OHK’s Dental Medicaid Facilitator, Bryan Thompson, shared the importance of how being a Medicaid provider is more than just someone who cleans teeth. A dental Medicaid provider is also someone who is helping the neighbor down the street who has a child with a disability and is on Medicaid and needs to see a dentist. We shared the story of Aaron Bumann, a pediatric dentist in the Kansas City area who accepts Medicaid. Click the link here to learn about the untapped potential in Medicaid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYkqXGiJG-o

Click here to watch a full interview with Dr. Bumann about what drives him to be a Medicaid provider. https://oralhealthkansas.org/AdultMedicaid/Dr%20Bumann%20Video%20Short.mp4

If you’re interested in becoming a Medicaid provider but still have some questions or not sure what steps to take first, email Bryan at [email protected]. He will try to find the best answer or option for you.

Our LAST webinar will be on Tuesday, September 30 at 1:15pm CST. The webinar is only 30 minutes! This session will be on the My Dental Care Passport. This communication tool has been recently revised and we’re excited to show it to everyone and walk through how you can use it.

To view the past recorded webinars, you can find those here.https://pathwaystooralhealth.org/resources-list/webinar/

Register now! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KM8BAT0USQ2TTOE3uaElUg #/registration

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘗𝘈 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘴 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.

We were at the Community Care Network of Kansas conference this week. We enjoyed sharing our OHK and Pathways to Oral He...
09/26/2025

We were at the Community Care Network of Kansas conference this week. We enjoyed sharing our OHK and Pathways to Oral Health resources with attendees!

We’re delighted to have Melissa Buroughs Senior Director, Policy & Advocacy from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health spe...
09/26/2025

We’re delighted to have Melissa Buroughs Senior Director, Policy & Advocacy from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health speak at the 2025 Conference on Oral Health which will be held Friday, November 7 at the KU Edwards Campus. She will be sharing insights on community water fluoridation. Fluoride is safe and reduces tooth decay. Now with the current challenges, let’s hear from Melissa about what we can do to preserve the future of fluoride!

The event is hybrid! Click here to find more information about the conference including registration: https://www.oralhealthkansas.org/Conference.html
Yes, CE’s will be available!

Attendee Rate - $125
Student Rate - $20
Walk-up Attendee - $150
Walk-up Student - $25

Hotel: Courtyard Kansas City Olathe
12151 South Strang Line Ct.
Olathe, Kansas 66062
$145 plus taxes. Please book by October 16.
Book on their website or call 1-888-236-2427. Group name: Conference on Oral Health

We also have sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities! Exhibitors have access to all conference sessions and meals. Learn about our various opportunities here. https://www.oralhealthkansas.org/Conference.html

Thanks to the hard work of advocates across Kansas, a Medicaid dental rate increase went into effect on July 1, 2025! Wi...
09/25/2025

Thanks to the hard work of advocates across Kansas, a Medicaid dental rate increase went into effect on July 1, 2025! With a $10 million investment from the Legislature, most dental rates increased—some by as much as 30–50%. This is the largest dental rate increase in at least two decades, and providers are already saying it’s a promising step forward.

We are not finished yet. The increase, while historic, still does not cover the significant costs of running a dental office. To ensure Medicaid dental rates are competitive with commercial rates, Oral Health Kansas and partners are advocating for the Legislature to complete the job in 2026.

Your voice matters more than ever to help the Legislature understand why a further increase in the rates is needed to maintain and improve the dental provider network. Whether it’s raising awareness among colleagues, emailing legislators, sharing your story, or simply signing on with your organization’s name, every action helps build momentum.

The first step is to join the coalition today by adding your name to this form. Together, we can strengthen the dental provider network and make sure Kansans with Medicaid coverage have access to the dental care they need.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0BfTSdMc46tcFEf7cgUUJhnRD-yBX6uTjXRzRLUfdePxcFQ/viewform?usp=header

The next "Building Confidence in Dental Teams to Serve People with Disabilities" session will be held on September 25 at...
09/24/2025

The next "Building Confidence in Dental Teams to Serve People with Disabilities" session will be held on September 25 at 12:00pm CST. The ECHO series began at the beginning of September and will run every Thursday through October 2. The goal of the webinars is to deepen understanding of disabilities, address sensitivities that can arise in dental care, and showcase how one practice has successfully built a safe, welcoming environment for patients with disabilities. Each session features a case presentation and opportunities for all participants to share insight.

ADA CERP credit will be available for attendees. Register for the Accessible Oral Health series here https://redcap.kumc.edu/surveys/?s=LT3FW7DF87CAX4DF

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘗𝘈 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘴 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.

Renee Andriani will be at our 2025 Conference on Oral Health as our Graphic Recorder again. Renee has a talent for obser...
09/23/2025

Renee Andriani will be at our 2025 Conference on Oral Health as our Graphic Recorder again. Renee has a talent for observing our conference and bringing the conversations into real time illustrations. During the 2024 Conference on Oral Health, she spent the entire day with us, not only illustrating what she heard but also commenting on how much she learned about dental care! We’re so enthused to have her back!

Oral Health Kansas is excited to announce the debut of the revised My Dental Care Passport, 3rd edition in English and S...
09/22/2025

Oral Health Kansas is excited to announce the debut of the revised My Dental Care Passport, 3rd edition in English and Spanish. My Dental Care Passport was designed to improve the dental office visit for people with disabilities by providing a mechanism for individuals and their families/caregivers to voice their specific needs. Sharing important information such as how a person likes to communicate or what part of the appointment might be hard for them helps break down communication barriers and allows the dental team to make appropriate accommodations before the patient even arrives. This communication tool is being used by families and clinics are providing them to their patients. We also have helpful guides to assist families and dental offices on how to use My Dental Care Passport. Find these resources and others on the Pathways to Oral Health website. https://pathwaystooralhealth.org/my-dental-care-passport/

A huge thanks to all of our Pathways to Oral Health project partners for their edits, Spanish translations and reviewing the Passport. It took many eyes to assure we had a product that was user friendly for many!

OHK Board members held their September 12 meeting virtually. The conversations were engaging, and important agenda items...
09/21/2025

OHK Board members held their September 12 meeting virtually. The conversations were engaging, and important agenda items were approved! Our 2026 Policy Priorities were approved as well as the 2024 – 2029 Strategic Plan. The policy priorities are a roadmap for our advocacy work during the legislative session. One of our main goals is to continue to work towards increasing the Medicaid dental rate and we will again reach out to partners to gather support. Watch for information at a later date! You can find our policy priorities here. We’ll also be sharing our policy priorities with Kansas legislators before the 2026 legislative session begins.

The new strategic plan focuses on four priority areas: Sustainability, Public Outreach, Advocacy, and Workforce. You will continue to see Oral Health Kansas invest our time and energy in direct education and outreach to people who are underserved, advocating to improve public policy including Medicaid policy, increasing the number of Medicaid providers, and ensuring the organization’s sustainability.

If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]

During National Hispanic Heritage Month beginning September 15 – October 15, we want to recognize Sonia Olmos and Monica...
09/20/2025

During National Hispanic Heritage Month beginning September 15 – October 15, we want to recognize Sonia Olmos and Monica Turner, two OHK staff members who are celebrating their own families and cultures. Sonia Olmos, Operations and Communications Manager, was born in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1978 and raised there but her parents and two brothers had immigrated in 1977 from Chile. Growing up, her parents instilled hard work, sometimes working 2-3 jobs and education was also important in their household. She remembers her dad saying, “No one can take your education from you” and that she shouldn’t take her bilingualism for granted. She took these values and has worked with Hispanic families, helping them navigate the education and healthcare system and resources in the community.

Monica Turner, Project Coordinator, is a proud Mexican American. Monica grew up in a family where education and strong family ties—values deeply rooted in Hispanic culture—were central. Inspired by her mother, a nurse, she pursued a career in healthcare, first working as an Occupational Therapist before stepping into the role of practice administrator for her husband’s endodontic office.

In December 2024, Monica earned her Master of Health Administration from Wichita State University, where she found the motivation to make a career change later in life. She shares that her family’s focus on education opened many opportunities, including access to quality health and dental care—something she believes everyone should have. “I hope that I can even do just a little bit to change that,” she says, reflecting her commitment to expanding oral health access across Kansas.

This week’s Making Medicaid Work for You Webinar Series was about filing Medicaid claims. Thank you to the managed care ...
09/19/2025

This week’s Making Medicaid Work for You Webinar Series was about filing Medicaid claims. Thank you to the managed care organizations, Healthy Blue, Sunflower Health Insurance and United Health Insurance for taking the time to provide information on how each company files claims. The recording and slides from the webinar are available on the Pathways to Oral Health website. https://pathwaystooralhealth.org/resources-list/webinar/

Next week’s topic on Tuesday, September 23 at 1:15pm is Do Well by Doing Good: Medicaid Opportunities. We will talk about the benefits of becoming a Medicaid provider in Kansas and the ways you can help your neighbors!

We’ll have a bonus webinar on September 30 introducing providers to a powerful communications tool called “My Dental Care Passport.” Make sure you attend!

Click here to register for this webinar series if you haven’t done so already. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KM8BAT0USQ2TTOE3uaElUg

Contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions. There is no cost to attend.

Address

PO Box 4567
Topeka, KS
66604

Telephone

+17852356069

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