Dental Champions - Oral Health Kansas, PO Box 4567, Topeka, KS (2025)

11/07/2025

Last week Oral Health Kansas’ MaryAnne Lynch Small and Tanya Dorf Brunner had the opportunity to share an introduction to advocacy to 140 dental and dental hygiene students from the UMKC School of Dentistry. The students in the public health classes learned about interpersonal, community, and legislative advocacy. Tammy Vicin and her brother Jim Woods joined the students to share their story about advocating with managed care organizations and legislators to ensure Jim has the care he needs. Oral Health Kansas lobbyist Mallory Lutz described some of the best ways to engage with policymakers. Along the way, the students learned how valuable dental professionals are as oral health advocates and experts in their communities.

Students brainstormed the barriers people face in accessing dental care. This word cloud shows their insight is keen. This class of students is learning a lot and will be ready to advocate for their communities and ensure their future patients and neighbors have every opportunity to maintain good oral health.

11/06/2025

Rick Guidotti is the Keynote Speaker for the 2025 Conference on Oral Health which is coming up on Friday, November 7. Rick will be coming to Kansas from New York City! We’re so grateful he’s coming to share his time with us and conference participants! Rick is an award-winning photographer who worked in New York City, Milan, Paris and London for a variety of high profile clients including Yves St Laurent, Revlon and L’Oreal. Rick founded Positive Exposure after a chance encounter in 1997 with a young lady living with albinism at a bus stop in New York City, was taken back by her beauty and asked if he could photograph her.

Here is a glimpse of Rick’s work. He photographed individuals with disabilities and their families while they shared some of their struggles accessing health care services and dental care.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPHnYWpIPNY

11/05/2025

With just days away, the 2025 Conference on Oral Health will be making a debut! This year has been impactful in Kansas and nationally, so we’re ready to show you what has kept us so busy and all the partnerships we have created along the way. We hope you find the topics captivating!

New this year! We’re providing three breakout sessions to allow you to choose a topic that you want to learn more about. But you can only choose one! (Please note: Our previous planned session, Dental Care for Veterans, has been canceled).

Breakout Sessions in the afternoon: Community Approaches to Meeting Community Needs
• Expanding Impact: How Dental Hygienists can Lead Community Outreach
Kylie Austin, RDH MS ECP-III, UMKC School of Dentistry; Tammi Engel, RDH, ECP-III, Northwest Smile Center; Kathy Hunt, RDH, ECP-II, Oral Health Kansas
• Dental Care for Individuals with Disabilities: Behavioral Strategies to Improve Patient Experience and Cooperation
Christie Stiehl, BCBA, Stiehl Behavioral Consulting, LLC; MaryAnne Lynch Small, MPH, BDS, Oral Health Kansas
• Integrating Dental Care into Medical Care
Celeste Carpenter, RDH BS ECP III, Swope Health; Shawn Oprisiu, RDH, BS ECP III, Swope Health; Julie Thiesen, RDH BS ECP III, Swope Health, Abigail Richwine, RDH, BS, Oral Health Kansas

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐬
Stuart Little, PhD, Little Government Relations; Rep. Allen Reavis, DDS, Tanya Dorf Brunner, MS, Oral Health Kansas

𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬
Jaqueline Belden, MLS, KU Center for Telemedicine & Telehealth University of Kansas Medical Center

𝐅𝐥𝐮𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐬: 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭
Melissa Burroughs, BA, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health

𝐊𝐄𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐨’𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚
Trina Morgan, BEd, MOL, Kansas Children’s Service League

𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡: 𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞
Tim Kolling, Compass Marketing & Advertising Partners, Oral Health Kansas Staff and Pathways Partners

When: Friday, November 7
Breakfast and registration begin at 7:30am CST. Sessions begin at 8:30am CST.

Where: Virtual or in person at KU Edwards Campus (BEST Conference Room), 12600 S Quivira Rd, Overland Park

The opportunity to earn 𝟓.𝟕𝟓 𝐂𝐄’𝐬 is available!
YES! You can still register. Register at this link and find out more information about the conference.

11/04/2025

It's not too late to register for the 2025 Conference on Oral Health. We have people still signing up!

Our hybrid 2025 Conference on Oral Health will be Friday, November 7 at the KU Edwards Campus, 12600 S Quivira Rd, Overland Park.

https://www.oralhealthkansas.org/Conference.html

11/03/2025

Oral Health Kansas submitted several proposals for 2026 National Oral Health Conference presentations, and they all were accepted! The National Oral Health Conference® (NOHC) is the leading annual event for anyone interested in learning, networking, and advancing dental public health. The conference is in Oklahoma City April 13-15, 2-26. We’re excited to share our work with colleagues from all over the country.

• “Using Storytelling to Inspire Communities and Expand Care” is a 90-minute panel about our marketing and messaging campaigns in the Pathways to Oral Health initiative. Tara Dimick from Compass Marketing and Melanie Jacobs from our Lived Experience Advisory Group will join staff on the panel.
• “Confidence in Every Smile – Tools and Training for Oral Hygiene Support” is a 90-minute panel about our new video training series for people with disabilities and caregivers. Our colleagues from Kansas Neurological Institute who are implementing the caregiver training program will join staff on the panel.
• “Elevating Voices, Driving Change, Building National Impact” is a 90-minute panel proposed by American Network of Oral Health Coalition (ANOHC) that will tell the story of national investment in oral health coalitions.
• “Small Steps, Big Impact: Practical Oral Health Projects in a Time of Limited Resources” is a 90-minute panel proposed by ANOHC that will feature several states’ creative and low-cost approaches to creating educational programs. Staff will serve on the panel.

Learn more about the conference by visiting their website.
https://nohc2026.eventscribe.net/

11/02/2025

The Shawnee County Oral Health Coalition took advantage of parent teacher conference and trunk or treat events this month to reach families about Brush Book Bed and the importance of brushing teeth and flossing every day! The first day, Shawnee County Oral Health Coalition chair, Kate Hamilton, visited with families as they visited Sheldon Head Start for parent teacher conferences. She was able to reach about 200 Head Start children and siblings.

She, along with two amazing volunteers, also attended a Trick or Treat on the Trail at Pine Ridge. There they met with families and reached a little over 100 children! Kate found out that families were interested in learning about oral health and listened when she talked about the best way to keep brushing routines every night. This is exactly what we want parents to hear!

Thank you to Delta Dental of Kansas for providing Smile Kits for us to provide for families.

If you're interested in learning more about the Shawnee County Oral Health Coalition, email us at [email protected].

11/01/2025

Kathy Hunt, Dental Program Director and Abby Richwine, Education Coordinator, attended the Kansas Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Conference at Kansas State University in Manhattan on October 28. Over 1,000 high school students participated in the career exploration event.

Kathy and Abby hosted a booth for high school students to learn more about dental careers and ask questions. Abby gave a presentation about the different careers in dentistry, and students asked great questions about schooling, specialties, and experience. Introducing high school students to dental careers helps grow the workforce and expand access to care where it’s needed most.

10/31/2025

Access to dental care should not depend on where you live or how you’re insured—but in Kansas, it often does. Fewer than 1 in 4 dentists in the state accept Medicaid, and 44 counties currently have no Medicaid dental provider at all. Western Kansas is especially impacted, where long drives and limited options make even basic dental care out of reach for many families.

But this issue isn’t limited to rural areas. Even in larger cities like Wichita, people with disabilities often travel for over an hour just to find a dentist who accepts Medicaid and can meet their dental care needs. The shortage of providers touches every part of the state.

To help change that, Oral Health Kansas and Pathways to Oral Health have developed a Consumer Toolkit for Recruiting Dentists—a simple, practical guide designed for community members, advocates, and caregivers who want to make a difference.

The toolkit gives you everything you need to start the conversation:
• Fact sheets you can share with local dental offices.
• Sample emails, texts, and talking points for reaching out to dentists in your area.
• Social media posts and graphics to raise awareness and inspire action.
• Information about recent Medicaid improvements, including higher reimbursement rates and expanded adult coverage.
• Resources for dentists, such as provider enrollment links and helpful advice on provider enrollment, disability care training, and My Dental Care Passport to support inclusive care.

You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference. Every email, call, and social post helps show Kansas dentists that their participation in Medicaid truly matters—and that our communities are ready to support them.

When more dentists open their doors to Medicaid patients, families get the preventive care they deserve, and individuals with disabilities can maintain their oral and overall health with dignity and confidence.

Together, we can close the gap in dental access—one conversation at a time.

https://pathwaystooralhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Consumer-Toolkit-for-Recruiting-Dentists-Printer-file.pdf

10/30/2025

Where can you hear about oral health and health policy changes at the state and national levels? How about a discussion about the Medicaid dental rate increases in Kansas? You will learn about this during the first session of the 2025 Conference on Oral Health, during the State of the State of Oral Health in Kansas with Stuart Little, Ph.D, Little Government Relations; Rep. Allen Reavis, DDS, and Tanya Dorf Brunner, MS, Oral Health Kansas. With just a little over a week to go, speakers are busy preparing to bring you lively discussions!

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧: Friday, November 7
Breakfast and registration begin at 7:30am CST. Sessions begin at 8:30am CST. We'll wave goodbye at 3:30pm CST.
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: Virtual or in person at KU Edwards Campus (BEST Conference Room), 12600 S Quivira Rd, Overland Park. Park in Lot B. Parking is free.

Exhibitors will be lined up in the conference room along with attendees for immediate networking opportunities. Visit each exhibitor and see what you can earn! Take this opportunity to also thank our sponsors!

This year we’re providing three breakout sessions to allow you to choose a topic that you want to learn more about. But you can only choose one! (Please note: Our previous planned session, Dental Care for Veterans has been canceled).

𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐨𝐧: 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬

• Expanding Impact: How Dental Hygienists can Lead Community Outreach
Kylie Austin, RDH MS ECP-III, UMKC School of Dentistry; Tammi Engel, RDH, ECP-III, Northwest Smile Center; Kathy Hunt, RDH, ECP-II, Oral Health Kansas
• Dental Care for Individuals with Disabilities: Behavioral Strategies to Improve Patient Experience and Cooperation
Christie Stiehl, BCBA, Stiehl Behavioral Consulting, LLC; MaryAnne Lynch Small, MPH, BDS, Oral Health Kansas
• Integrating Dental Care into Medical Care
Celeste Carpenter, RDH BS ECP III, Swope Health; Shawn Oprisiu, RDH, BS ECP III, Swope Health; Julie Thiesen, RDH BS ECP III, Swope Health, Abigail Richwine, RDH, BS, Oral Health Kansas

Register now to save your spot! https://www.oralhealthkansas.org/Conference.html

Attendee Rate: $125 (walk up rate $150)
Student Rate: $20 (walk up rate $25)

Let’s come together to learn, share, and shape a healthier, more connected future for oral health!

10/29/2025

Thank you to our 2025 Conference on Oral Health sponsors. We appreciate them supporting our conference and attending our conference. This event is possible because of your support! If you see our sponsors at the conference next Friday, November 7, please tell them thank you!

Delta Dental of Kansas – Platinum Sponsor
Centene Dental Services – Gold Sponsor
Health Forward Foundation – Gold Sponsor
United Healthcare Community Plan – Silver Sponsor
United Methodist Health Ministry Fund – Silver Sponsor
Healthy Blue – Bronze Sponsor
Reach Healthcare Foundation – Bronze Sponsor
Sunflower Foundation – Bronze Sponsor
Wichita State University – Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech – Language Hearing Clinic – Bronze Sponsor

10/27/2025

Drum roll please!

And the winners for the 2025 Excellence in Oral Health Awards are....

nope, sorry!

We'll be announcing the winners at the 2025 Conference on Oral Health, on Friday, November 7. If you want to be in the know, register to attend! We'll be at the KU Edwards Campus, 12600 S Quivira Rd in Overland Park. Or you could attend virtually but we want to see you! Grab your spot!

5.75 CE's will be available!

https://www.oralhealthkansas.org/Conference.html

10/26/2025

During National Health Education Week, we recognize two of our staff members that provide oral health education to many people throughout the state. Kathy Hunt, RDH, ECPII, Dental Program Director and Abby Richwine, RDH, BS, Education Coordinator develop, coordinate, plan, and help execute the consumer and provider education strategies for the Pathways to Oral Health project. They also develop messaging and educational materials for individuals with disabilities, caregivers, and dental providers. Their valuable insights has created the success of the project!

Dental Champions - Oral Health Kansas

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