NNOHA - National Network for Oral Health Access

11/25/2025

Happy Thanksgiving! We're grateful for the health centers and oral health providers across the country who bring compassionate care to their communities. Your dedication inspires us every day. 💙💚

Our office will be closed November 28 and 29 for the holiday. May your Thanksgiving be filled with joy, rest, and connection!

11/24/2025

Applications for the Improving UDS Sealant Measure Small Group Training (formerly Learning Collaborative) are due next week!

This Small Group Training will support health centers that fell below the national average (59.4%) for the UDS Sealants Measure to learn strategies to improve their measure. The training will take place from January to May 2026. Topics include caries risk assessment, documenting exclusion, and clinical strategies to improve the measure.

➡️ Online applications close on December 1. Apply here: https://buff.ly/ZBuTk8R

11/19/2025

Apply for the Dental Assistant Workforce Small Group Training (formerly Learning Collaborative) by Friday!

This small group training will help health centers develop a framework to establish an in-house dental assistant training program. The virtual training includes six 90-minute webinars from January to June 2026. Topics include budgeting, curriculum development, sustainability, career ladders, and training. Online applications close on November 21.

➡️ Apply here: https://forms.gle/NnwVcZAzg7GJ7P3bA

11/04/2025

Attending the NNOHA Annual Conference? Don't forget to download the Conference App before you arrive! Just follow these steps:

1️⃣ Click this link to download the “Cvent Events” app from your app store: https://buff.ly/71raOPT
2️⃣ Open the app, search for NNOHA, and download the 2025 NNOHA event.
3️⃣ Log in with the name and email address you used to register for the conference.
4️⃣ Watch for a verification code that will be texted to your mobile number.
5️⃣ Allow notifications to receive important updates.

10/24/2025

Have you seen the impact of Medicaid dental benefits in your practice? Do you treat patients who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access care? Share your experience through the ADA Medicaid StoryBank! Your story will help us advocate for maintaining and improving dental coverage in Medicaid programs.

📢 Share your story at ada.org/StoryBank

➡️ Learn more: https://www.nnoha.org/news-1/2025-storybank

10/22/2025

We are thrilled to partner with The American Institute of Dental Public Health to mark this year's LGBTQIA+ Oral Health Week under the guiding theme, “Dental Care as a Human Right: Advancing Oral Health Justice Through Community Empowerment.”

A trained and culturally affirming oral health workforce is critical to improving the oral health and well-being of q***r people. Recent research from AIDPH indicated students reported feeling unprepared to treat the unique oral health needs of LGBTQIA+ patients due to the lack of training and clinical instruction related to gender identity, sexual orientation, and affirming communication practices in clinical settings. Read more here: https://aidph.org/inclusion-dental-education/

10/20/2025

Headed to the NACHC Workforce Conference in Las Vegas this week? Don't miss these sessions featuring NNOHA leadership on Wednesday, Oct 22!

🔵 8:30 AM: NNOHA's Board President, An Nguyen, DDS, MPH, will speak during the Closing Plenary Session

🟢 10:45 AM: Cheryl Parker, MS, CAE, our Executive Director, will speak on the panel: “Bridging the Gaps: Effective Strategies for Service Integration in Community Health”

🔵 2:45 PM: Candace Owen, RDH, MS, MPH, our Senior Director of Education and Strategic Partnerships, and Ethan Kerns, DDS, our Immediate Past President, will present: “Optimizing Recruitment and Retention of Dental Professionals in Health Centers”

We hope to see you there!

📣 Registration is STILL OPEN for NACHC’s 2025 Workforce Conference!

📅 October 21–22, 2025
📍 Caesars Palace | Las Vegas, NV

Join Community Health Center leaders from across the nation at the premier gathering focused on workforce innovation, financial sustainability, operations, health IT, and clinical service delivery.

✅ Learn from top experts and Community Health Center leaders
✅ Gain tools and data-driven strategies to address workforce challenges
✅ Connect with peers advancing affordable, high-quality primary care

Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your workforce and build the future of Community Health Centers.

🔗 Register today: https://bit.ly/4go6FQr

10/17/2025

We loved connecting with FQHC dental educators at the Rural and Health Center National Graduate Medical Education Conference last month in Rockville, MD! 🦷✨

Interested in learning more about Teaching Health Centers? Don’t miss the Teaching Health Center Workshop at the 2025 NNOHA Annual Conference, taking place Nov 9, 1:00–5:15 PM CT. This workshop will cover everything from the various types of post-doctoral dental programs to readiness assessments, funding opportunities, and the accreditation process. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/nnoha2025conference

10/15/2025

Join us for an upcoming webinar: Beyond the Red Pen: Clinical Quality Evaluation for Health Center Dental Programs

📆 Wednesday, October 29
⏰ 11am PT • Noon MT • 1pm CT • 2pm ET

Multnomah County Health Center recognized the wealth of knowledge and experience of its team that could contribute to addressing areas of improvement identified in annual evaluations. As a result, they implemented a peer review and skills fair program. This creates peer learning opportunities for their dental team. This collaborative and supportive environment includes dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and front office staff. Multnomah County’s team demonstrated a significant increase in comfort, streamlined referrals, and encouraged collaborative learning and curiosity across the dental team.

This webinar will describe the framework and implementation of this innovative clinical quality evaluation program. 1.0 CDE will be offered!

Register Here: https://buff.ly/SXaIltG

10/13/2025

We’re just ONE MONTH away from the 2025 NNOHA Annual Conference! ⏳ Register by October 19 to take advantage of standard conference pricing before rates increase.

Join your colleagues November 9–12 in the heart of San Antonio, TX. These four days of world-class continuing education are specifically developed for safety-net oral health professionals. Connect with like-minded providers, learn from expert clinical and practice management presenters, and be motivated by inspiring plenary speakers!

This year’s theme, These Are My People, celebrates the strength we build through connection and shared purpose.

➡️ Register here: https://bit.ly/nnoha2025conference

10/09/2025

Join us for a 60-minute interactive webinar designed for health center staff, dental professionals, and community health educators to explore the intersection of to***co use, oral health, and public housing populations.

📆 Wednesday, October 15
⏰ 10am PT • 11am MT • Noon CT • 1pm ET

To***co use remains a significant public health concern especially among residents of public housing leading to serious impacts on oral health and overall well-being. This session brings together subject matter experts from the National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH), the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA), and the American Lung Association (ALA).

Register here: https://buff.ly/NE35i1D

10/09/2025

Your story can help protect Medicaid dental benefits. NNOHA is partnering with the American Dental Association to collect stories from providers and patients that highlight the real-world impact of Medicaid. These stories will strengthen advocacy efforts and help preserve access to care for the communities we serve.

📢 Share your story here: http://www.ada.org/StoryBank

➡️ Learn more: https://www.nnoha.org/news-1/2025-storybank