Oral Health

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Purpose and Target Population 

  • Purpose:

    • To enhance oral health knowledge and skills in Maine through a self-paced learning series and accompanying Oral Health Foundations micro-credential, supporting both incumbent worker skills development and career exploration opportunities in the dental field

    • Learners who successfully complete the online modules will be eligible for Oral Health Foundations digital badges through the University of Maine System (UMS). After completing Level I and Level II of the micro-credential, learners will be eligible to pursue the full micro-credential in partnership with their employer.

      • Instructions for accessing the UMS digital badges and completing the micro-credential will be emailed by MCD Global Health’s e-learning team.

  • Target Population:

    • Individuals in Maine working in or interested in healthcare or community service roles, such as EMS, RNs, CNAs, CHWs, MAs, and others seeking to expand their knowledge of oral health or pursue new opportunities in the dental career path

Planning and Implementation

  • The learning series was developed through a collaborative initiative convened by multiple partners in Maine.  The effort was originally invested in by Maine CDC/DHHS, with additional investment and support from the State Workforce Board’s Industry Partnership Initiative, lead by the Children’s Oral Health Network of Maine (COHN), and Maine Health Access Foundation. The core partners of the initiative included COHN, MCD Global Health, Maine CDC, Maine CDC’s School Oral Health Program, Maine Access Immigrant Network, and Cross Cultural Community Services

  • The project was conceived as a response to current oral health workforce shortages in Maine, particularly in rural areas.

  • After content was created, the Learning Series was transitioned to a website that is hosted by MCD Global Health. The Maine Dental Career Center is a first of its kind comprehensive career exploration website for dental roles in Maine.

  • The series includes videos, articles, and quizzes, organized in two levels within the UMS micro-credential framework:

    • Level I: Introduction and Foundations

      • Introduction to the Learning Series

      • Oral Health Equity

      • Care Coordination

    • Level II: Advanced Oral Health Content

      • Oral Health Foundations I: Fundamentals of Oral Anatomy

      • Oral Health Foundations II: Tooth Decay and Cavity Management

      • Oral Health Foundations III: Foundations for Oral Well-Being

      • HIPAA Awareness I (external website)

      • HIPAA Awareness II (external website)

      • Wrap-up

    • Optional Modules (These are NOT required).

      • Minimally Invasive Dentistry

      • Mouth Healthy Habits

      • Community Engaged Oral Health Systems

Best Practices  

  • Initial research was done to identify and inventory similar oral health training and education opportunities

  • Content was designed to optimize best practices in technology-assisted learning

  • The series uses easy to navigate web-based resources, relevant science-based content, engaging videos, and free registration designed to engage users

  • The series is free to users - other credential-granting programs hosted by the University of Maine System and other education providers have significant fees, which can present a barrier

Challenges and Solutions 

  • Utilization of the Learning Series, including demographics and occupations of learners, as well as how they are applying the training, is being tracked

  • The series went through several rounds of beta-testing in partnership with community-based partners, education providers, subject matter experts, and other relevant stakeholders. Partners were given the opportunity to provide extensive feedback to MCD Global Health’s e-learning team and COHN staff. Feedback and revisions were incorporated into the current version of the series. 

  • The core partners have presented about the series at conferences, statewide events, and directly through other partners.

    • COHN has reached out to workforce, education, and employer partners throughout the state.

  • Check out COHN’s September e-news for more details: https://us17.campaign-archive.com/?u=bcf96461b663f6ca437dcddba&id=4e76baa8b6 

Resources and Tools 

  • Link to sign up: https://ohn.mcd.org/

  • To learn more about the University of Maine System Micro-Credentials, visit their website

  • Links to additional materials are included within the series itself. No additional citations are required.

Contact 

  • Nikki Williams

    Workforce Consultant

    Children's Oral Health Network

    nikki@mainecohn.org

     

  • Danielle Peterson, IPDH, MHA, EdD

    Program Manager, School Oral Health Program

    Phone: (207) 622-7566 Ext 2081

    Email: dpeterson@mcd.org

Oral Health Navigation Learning Series

Online