Promoting Oral Health

Literacy
A Resource Guide

Prepared by
Ruth Barzel, M.A.
Katrina Holt, M.P.H., M.S., R.D., FAND
Cite as
Barzel R, Holt K (eds). 2024. Promoting Oral Health Permission is given to save and print this publication
Literacy: A Resource Guide. Washington, DC: National and to forward it, in its entirety, to others. Requests
Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center. for permission to use all or part of the information
contained in this publication in other ways should be
Promoting Oral Health Literacy: A Resource Guide sent to the e-mail address below.
© 2024 by National Maternal and Child Oral Health
Resource Center, Georgetown University National Maternal and Child Oral Health
Resource Center
This publication was supported by the Health Georgetown University
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of E-mail: [email protected]
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) as part of an annual award totaling $1,325,000
with no funding from nongovernmental sources. The
contents are those of the author(s) and do not neces-
sarily represent the official views of, or endorsement
by, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. government. For more
information, please visit www.HRSA.gov.
 Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Professional Education, Tools, and Training . . . . 11
Program Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Public Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Organizations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
 Introduction

Health literacy means that people are able to find, Efforts to improve personal heath literacy and orga-
understand, and use health information and health nizational health literacy can help people move from
care. Health systems are complex, and health informa- finding health information to understanding and
tion is often difficult to understand, but there are ways acting upon it. Adopting health-literacy approaches
to make it easier for people to comprehend. Health lit- benefits everyone, especially people with low literacy
eracy provides the foundation for oral health literacy.1 levels and people who speak English as a second lan-
guage. But anyone can have difficulty understanding
To maintain their own health and the health of their health information.
families and communities, people rely on accurate, cur-
rent, and accessible health information. The informa- Clear communication between health profession-
tion may be provided in a variety of ways, including als and patients can improve oral health literacy,
in a discussion between a person and a health profes- particularly if health professionals listen respectfully
sional and in a resource (e.g., consent form, handout) and make information easy to understand. Health
that a health professional shares. Yet millions of people professionals can improve oral health literacy by using
cannot understand and/or act upon this information.2 proven strategies, such as answering patients’ questions
using simple language and testing written draft mate-
Healthy People 2030 has elevated the importance of rials with the intended audience. Health professionals
health literacy by declaring it a foundational principle can also use these strategies to encourage people to
and overarching goal. Healthy People 2030 defines engage in discussions about oral health procedures and
health literacy as follows:3 treatment to promote oral health literacy. Checking to
• Personal health literacy is the degree to which make sure people understand the information is also
people have the ability to find, understand, and use important. This enables people to make oral health
information and services to inform health-related care decisions based on their values, goals, preferences,
decisions and actions for themselves and others. and circumstances. Being oral health literate can help
people make informed decisions to improve their oral
• Organizational health literacy is the degree to which
health and thus their overall health.3 Achieving soci-
organizations equitably enable people to find, under-
etal health literacy will require developing sources of
stand, and use information and services to inform
easy-to-undersstand information aligned with the best
health-related decisions and actions for themselves
scientific evidence available.4
and others.

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Findings from health literacy environmental scans
have identified clinic characteristics and health profes-
sional practices that can be used to make oral health
settings more user-friendly and health literate.5 By
adopting a definition for organizational health literacy,
Healthy People 2030 acknowledges that personal
health literacy is contextual and that producers of
health information and services have a role in improv-
ing health literacy.

References
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2000.
Healthy People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health
(2nd ed.). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing
Office.
2. Institute of Medicine Committee on Health Literacy;
Nielsen-Bohlman L, Panzer AM, Kindig DA (eds.). 2004.
Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion. Washing-
ton, DC: National Academies Press.
3. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. No
date. Health Literacy in Healthy People 2030 [webpage].
4. Kleinman DV, Horowitz A, Atchison KA. 2021. A
framework to foster oral health literacy and oral/general
health integration. Frontiers in Dental Medicine 2(article
723021):1–8.
5. Horowitz AM, Maybury C, Kleinman DV, Radice SD,
Wang MQ, Child W, Rudd RE. 2014. Health literacy
environmental scans of community-based dental clin-
ics in Maryland. American Journal of Public Health
104(8):e85–93.

P R O M OT I N G O R A L H E A LT H L I T E R A C Y: A R E S O U R C E G U I D E
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 About This Guide
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health
Resource Center (OHRC) developed this publication,
Promoting Oral Health Literacy: A Resource Guide, to Assessment (questionnaire,
provide information for health professionals, program readiness assessment, survey)
administrators, educators, and others about oral health
in schools.
Book
The resource guide is divided into two sections. The
first section of the guide describes materials, such as
briefs, fact sheets, guidelines, manuals, papers, reports,
and videos, published from 2020 through 2024 that
Brief, paper, or report
reflect current science and practice, as well as seminal
(i.e., very important or influential) materials published
before 2020. In the materials section, each resource
includes an icon to help readers quickly identify types
of materials. The key to the categories appears on Curriculum (course, training)
the right.

For further information, we encourage you to contact Guide or guidelines (pocket

the organizations, including federal agencies, national guide, practice guidance manual,
professional associations, and resource centers, listed resource guide, training guide,
in the second section of the guide. Your state and local user guide)
departments of health, state and local oral-health-
related associations and societies, state and local oral
Infographic or poster
health coalitions, and university-based libraries are
additional sources of information.

OHRC will update the resource guide periodically, Tool (brochure, checklist,
and we would appreciate hearing from you if you know flipbook, flipchart, form,
of any relevant resources that are not included in this handout, tip sheet, toolkit)
edition.

Video

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 Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the following National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
staff members for assistance in the development of the guide: Katy Battani, Sarah Kolo,
Beth Lowe, and Susan Lorenzo. We also appreciate Alice Horowitz’s contribution to the
development of the guide and her leadership in expanding the focus of the health literacy field
to include oral health. We would also like to thank those who submitted items for inclusion in
the guide.

P R O M OT I N G O R A L H E A LT H L I T E R A C Y: A R E S O U R C E G U I D E
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Materials
 Materials
Policy
Disconnect: The Gap Between Improving America’s Oral Health
Patient Experience and Provider Literacy: Leveraging Lessons from
Assumptions—An Impact Story Health Literacy to Elevate America’s
This paper examines four barriers to accessing oral
Understanding of Oral Health
health care in Richmond, Virginia, that the Com- This paper examines the ways that health literacy
munity Partners in Oral Health identified: (1) cost of affects (1) patients’ decision-making about their oral
oral health coverage and care; (2) availability of care; health, oral health care, and dental insurance; (2) oral
(3) issues related to culture, language, and health; and health professionals’ communications with patients,
(4) health literacy and awareness about care options. staff, and the community; and (3) dental insurance
To overcome each barrier, strategies at the commu- companies’ development and provision of dental
nity, clinic, public health system, and policy levels are insurance plans. It discusses health literacy in dental
listed. practices, health literacy training, and social determi-
nants of health and oral health.
Community Partners in Oral Health. 2022. Discon-
nect: The Gap Between Patient Experience and Provider Atchison KA, Horowitz AM, Holland ND. 2020.
Assumptions—An Impact Story. Glen Allen, VA: Improving America’s Oral Health Literacy: Leverag-
Virginia Health Catalyst. 13 pp. ing Lessons from Health Literacy to Elevate America’s
Understanding of Oral Health. Washington, DC: Delta
Dental Institute. 17 pp.
Health Literacy Guiding Principles for
Early Childhood Programs
Integrating Oral and General Health
This report offers guiding principles that can help
Head Start staff promote health literacy in their
Through Health Literacy Practices:
programs. The report focuses on seven core concepts: Proceedings of a Workshop
capacity, content, equity, dissemination, feedback,
practice, and evaluation. Programs can use the These proceedings summarize presentations and
principles to increase their capacity to implement discussions from a National Academies of Sci-
health-literate practices and evaluate the principles’ ences, Engineering, and Medicine workshop held on
effectiveness. December 6, 2018. Topics include integration of oral
health care, primary care, and health literacy; systems
National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and thinking, integration, and health literacy; health
Safety. 2023. Health Literacy Guiding Principles for literacy and care integration; exploring pathways to
Early Childhood Programs. Waltham, MA: National integration; developing a research agenda for integra-
Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety. tion; and reflections on the workshop.
4 pp.
Olson S, Wojtowicz A, Rapporteurs; National Acad-
emies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Board
on Population Health and Public Health Practice,
Roundtable on Health Literacy. 2019. Integrat-
ing Oral and General Health Through Health Literacy
Practices: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC:
National Academies Press. 102 pp.

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Integration of Oral Health and Primary Oral Health Literacy: Workshop
Care: Communication, Coordination Summary
and Referral This report summarizes presentations and follow-up
This paper discusses challenges in integrating oral discussions from a workshop held on March 29, 2012,
health care and primary care for populations with in Washington, DC, to explore the field of oral health
low health literacy. It provides background on the literacy. Topics include the importance of health liter-
issue and focuses on weaknesses in the areas of acy; the role of health literacy in addressing oral health
communication, coordination, and referral. Topics problems; how oral health literacy can be assessed; and
include referral networks, risk management, clinical experiences of effective oral-health-literacy programs,
referral guidelines, performance measures, electronic state-based initiatives, and national literacy activities.
tools and integrated health records, interprofessional National Academies Press. 2013. Oral Health Lit-
education and collaborative practice, research, and eracy: Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: National
demonstration programs. Academies Press. 125 pp.
Atchison KA, Rozier RG, Weintraub JA. 2018.
Integration of Oral Health and Primary Care: Commu-
nication, Coordination and Referral. Washington, DC: Oral Health Literacy Toolkit
National Academy of Medicine. 12 pp.
This toolkit provides information and resources for
implementing interventions to promote and improve
oral health literacy as part of the New York State
A National Call to Action to Promote Department of Health prevention agenda. Con-
Oral Health tents include information about the magnitude of
the problem, oral health literacy, and state efforts to
This report describes a set of five principal actions promote and improve oral health literacy, as well as
and implementation strategies to be undertaken resources.
by public and private organizations and individu-
als to help ensure that all Americans can achieve New York State Oral Health Center of Excellence.
optimal oral health. The actions include (1) change 2015. Oral Health Literacy Toolkit. Rochester, NY:
the perceptions of oral health; (2) replicate effective New York State Oral Health Center of Excellence.
programs and successful efforts; (3) build the science 55 pp.
base and accelerate the transfer of science to practice;
(4) increase workforce diversity, capacity, and flex-
ibility; and (5) increase collaboration. In addition, the
report addresses partnering for progress, the need for
action plans, and next steps.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

2003. A National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health.
Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Dental and
Craniofacial Research. 10 items.

P R O M OT I N G O R A L H E A LT H L I T E R A C Y: A R E S O U R C E G U I D E
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 Professional Education, Tools, and Training
5 Things to Know About Health perceptions of oral health, the economics of sustain-
able oral-health-care delivery, and educating oral
Literacy health professionals about caring for people with
This video discusses why health literacy is an over- special health care needs.
arching goal of Healthy People 2030 and explains Academy of General Dentistry. 2012. Barriers and
what health literacy means. It also considers how Solutions to Accessing Care. Chicago, IL: Academy of
organizations and professionals can improve their General Dentistry. 6 pp.
oral health literacy, why universal-health-literacy
approaches benefit everyone, and how health profes-
sionals can use health-literacy strategies to encourage
people to take part in health care decisions. In addi- Brush, Book, Bed: How to Structure
tion, it addresses how clear communication between Your Child’s Nighttime Routine
health professionals and patients can improve health
literacy and how being health literate can help people This guide describes a program that encourages
make informed decisions to improve their health. parents to have a scheduled nighttime routine that
includes helping their young child brush their teeth,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reading a favorite book or two, and getting the child
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. to bed at a regular time. Additional information and
No date. 5 Things to Know About Health Literacy. resources on oral health, early literacy, and healthy
1 video (2:20 minutes). sleep for young children are included.

American Academy of Pediatrics. 2014. Brush, Book,

Bed: How to Structure Your Child’s Nighttime Routine.
AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediat-
Precautions Toolkit (3rd ed.) rics. Multiple items.
This toolkit offers evidence-based guidance to
help health professionals make health information
easier to understand and act on, make health care The CDC Clear Communication Index
easier to navigate, and increase support for people This index is designed to help health professionals
of all health literacy levels. Contents include tools develop materials using simple language for people
addressing the following five domains: path to with limited literacy and to assess materials to
improvement, spoken communication, written com- determine whether people with limited literacy can
munication, self-management and empowerment, understand the content. The index includes intro-
and supportive systems. Also included are sample ductory questions and scored items drawn from the
forms, presentations, and assessment tools. scientific literature on communication and related
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 2024. disciplines. The items represent characteristics of
AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit easy-to-understand writing. A widget that can be
(3rd ed.). Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare added to an organization’s website is also available.
Research and Quality. Multiple items. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2023.
The CDC Clear Communication Index. Atlanta, GA:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1 item.
Barriers and Solutions to Accessing
Care
This paper identifies barriers to accessing oral health
care and presents strategies for improving access to
oral health care and oral health. Topics include oral
health literacy, psychological factors related to oral
health behaviors, preventing oral disease, sociocultural

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A Framework for Equity-Centered Health Literacy for Public Health
Health Communication Professionals
This framework is designed to prioritize equitable This course offers information about health literacy
access to basic health information and services. It for public health professionals. It explains the dif-
discusses why equity-centered health communication ference between personal and organizational health
is important and presents three phases in making literacy, discusses how efforts to improve health lit-
progress toward such communication. The phases eracy can affect the public’s health, and identifies the
include (1) understanding the issues, (2) co-creating role of organizational health literacy in providing core
accessible products, and (3) implementing health public health services. The course includes three mod-
communication interventions. ules: front line and program report responsibilities,
program management and supervisory responsibili-
Communicate Health. 2023. A Framework for Equity- ties, and senior management and executive leader-
Centered Health Communication. Rockville, MD: ship responsibilities. It can be taken for continuing
Communicate Health. 46 pp. education credits.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2022.

Health Literacy: Confronting a Health Literacy for Public Health Professionals. Atlanta,
GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
National Public Health Problem 3 modules.
This policy statement provides information about the
importance of being health literate for being healthy,
navigating the health care system, advocating for Health Literacy Online: A Guide to
one’s health care needs, responding to public health Simplifying the User Experience
alerts, and voting on decisions affecting the health of
one’s environment and community. Also discussed This guide provides information on why and how to
is the public’s overall health literacy level. Successful design health websites and other digital health-infor-
approaches to improving health literacy are presented, mation tools. Topics include what is known about
along with recommendations for actions to further users with limited literacy skills, writing actionable
improve health literacy. content, displaying content clearly on the page, orga-
nizing content and simplifying navigation, engaging
American Public Health Association. 2010. Health users, and testing a site with users with limited lit-
Literacy: Confronting a National Public Health Prob- eracy skills. A checklist of strategies and an overview
lem. Washington, DC: American Public Health of user research are included.
Association. 7 pp.
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
2015. Health Literacy Online: A Guide to Simplify-
Health Literacy: A Prescription to End ing the User Experience (2nd ed.). Office of Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion. 1 v.
Confusion
This book focuses on the importance of health lit-
eracy and on strategies to enable people to optimize A Healthy Mouth for Every Body
their own and their families’ health. Topics include Campaign Toolkit
definitions of health literacy, measures used in health
literacy research, educational systems, health systems, This toolkit is designed to help people learn about
and a vision for a health-literate America. how to take good care of their oral health and
about how oral health is connected to overall health
Institute of Medicine Committee on Health Literacy; and well-being. Tools include radio public service
Nielsen-Bohlman L, Panzer AM, Kindig DA (eds.). announcements; social media graphics; social media
2004. Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion. posts; posters; content to include in e-mails, newslet-
Washington, DC: National Academies Press. 345 pp. ters, and other outreach materials; and educational
materials. A webinar about opportunities for shar-
ing oral health materials and integrating them into
health-education efforts is also available.

P R O M OT I N G O R A L H E A LT H L I T E R A C Y: A R E S O U R C E G U I D E
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Health Resources and Services Administration. 2023. American Dental Association. 2022. Making Health
A Healthy Mouth for Every Body Campaign Toolkit. Literacy Part of Your Dental Practice: An Action Guide.
Rockville, MD: Health Resources and Services Chicago, IL: American Dental Association. 1 p.
Administration. Multiple items.

Oral Health Literacy and Dental

HLE2: The Health Literacy Environment Public Health
of Hospitals and Health Centers
This course provides a definition of health literacy
This tool is designed to help health organizations and discusses how health literacy and oral health
identify and rate health-literacy-related factors within literacy are measured, the role of oral health literacy
their organization. Such factors include organiza- in promoting oral health, and access to oral health
tional policies, institutional practices, navigation, care in private practice and in public health settings.
culture and language, and communication. A form for The course describes ways that oral health literacy can
scoring each factor, as well as a discussion of how to influence long-term oral health outcomes and how
interpret the scores, is included. Planning for action is oral-health-literate approaches can be integrated into
also addressed. private and public health organizations.

Rudd RE, Oelschlegel S, Grabeel KL, Tester E, American Association of Public Health Dentistry. No
Heidel E. 2019. HLE2: The Health Literacy Environ- date. Oral Health Literacy and Dental Public Health.
ment of Hospitals and Health Centers. Boston, MA: Albany, NY: American Association of Public Health
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 47 pp. Dentistry. 4 modules.

Improving Oral Health Literacy Oral Health Literacy Environmental

This tip sheet was developed for Head Start staff
Scan
to use to support the oral health of children and The environmental scan consists of checklists that
pregnant women enrolled in Head Start programs clinics can use to help make their services accessible
and their families. It focuses on oral health literacy, to people with limited health literacy. The findings
why it is important, and what Head Start staff can are intended to inform efforts to integrate oral health
do to improve it. The tip sheet also discusses why oral care into primary care in community health centers.
health literacy is important and provides strategies to [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]
improve oral health literacy in Head Start.
Transforming Oral Health for Families. 2020. Oral
Washington, DC: National Center on Health, Health Literacy Environmental Scan. Albany, NY:
Behavioral Health, and Safety. 2023. Improving Oral HealthEfficient. 31 pp.
Health Literacy. Washington, DC: National Center
on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety. 1 item.
Oral Health Literacy Toolkit
Making Health Literacy Part of Your This toolkit for oral health professionals provides an
Dental Practice: An Action Guide overview of oral health literacy and why it is impor-
tant, as well as tools for improving dental practices’
This guide provides tips on how oral health profes- ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
sionals can make their practices more health-literate Resources include a guidebook, a dental-practice-
to improve compliance with oral hygiene instructions assessment checklist, a tip sheet explaining the teach-
and treatment recommendations, reduce the number back method, a brochure explaining what to expect
of missed appointments, and minimize calls to the during a dental visit, and an oral-health-literacy
office. It discusses how to learn about health-literacy action plan for dental practices.
resources, assess a practice’s oral health literacy, and
effectively communicate with patients. Health Research for Action. 2021–. Oral Health
Literacy Toolkit. San Francisco, CA: California Oral
Health Technical Assistance Center. 1 website.

P R O M OT I N G O R A L H E A LT H L I T E R A C Y: A R E S O U R C E G U I D E
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The Patient Education Materials questions and the ask-tell-ask method with patients,
engaging patients in agenda and goal setting, using
Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and User’s questions and reflections while discussing patient
Guide: An Instrument to Assess the values, and following up with patients.
Understandability and Actionability CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. 2021. Using
of Print and Audiovisual Education Motivational Interviewing in Dentistry Video Series.
Materials Boston, MA: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
12 videos.
These resources provide a systematic method for
evaluating and comparing the understandability and
actionability of consumer-education materials such as A Way with Words: Tips for Writing
brochures, medical instructions, and audiovisual aids.
Contents include a user’s guide, tools for assessing
Easy-to-Understand Oral Health
printable and audiovisual materials, and a scoring Materials
form. Topics include content, word choice and style,
This handout for health professionals provides tips
use of numbers, organization, layout and design, and
on how to write oral health materials that are easy for
use of visual aids.
people to understand. It includes ideas about words
Shoemaker SJ, Wolf MS, Brach C. 2013. The Patient to use and not to use, tone, voice (active vs. passive),
Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and and layout. Effectively using headings and lists is also
User’s Guide: An Instrument to Assess the Understand- discussed, along with the best way to write sentences
ability and Actionability of Print and Audiovisual and paragraphs to make the text simple and clear.
Education Materials. Rockville, MD: Agency for How to incorporate technical words, when necessary,
Healthcare Research and Quality. 4 items. is explained. [Funded by the Maternal and Child
Health Bureau]

Barzel R, Holt K. 2024. A Way with Words: Tips for

Using Motivational Interviewing in Writing Easy-to-Understand Oral Health Materials.
Dentistry Video Series Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral
Health Resource Center. 2 pp.
This video series highlights motivational interview-
ing skills and techniques that health professionals can
use to encourage patients to take care of their oral
health. Videos discuss using open- and closed-ended

Program Development
2022–2027 South Dakota Oral Health CMS Framework for Health Equity
Coalition: Oral Health Plan 2022–2032
This plan was created with a vision of empower- This framework describes the Centers for Medicare
ing all South Dakotans to embrace oral health as a & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’s) plan to incorporate
critical component of overall health and well-being health equity and efforts to address health dispari-
throughout life. The plan includes the following ties as a foundational element across all its work. It
goals: improve oral health literacy and awareness of discusses five priority areas: (1) expand the collection,
the importance of oral health; prevent oral diseases; reporting, and analysis of standardized data; (2) assess
increase the availability, accessibility, and use of oral causes of disparities within CMS programs and
health care; and coordinate state oral health efforts. address inequalities in policies and operations;
For each goal, objectives and strategies are presented. (3) build capacity of health care organizations and
the workforce to reduce health and health care dis-
South Dakota Oral Health Coalition. 2022. 2022– parities; (4) advance language access, health literacy,
2027 South Dakota Oral Health Coalition: Oral Health and the provision of culturally tailored services; and
Plan. Pierre, SD: South Dakota Oral Health Coali- (5) increase access to health care and coverage.
tion. 8 pp.

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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 2022. include campaign strategies, collaborative structure,
CMS Framework for Health Equity 2022–2032. partners, stakeholders, branding and identity, materi-
Baltimore, MD: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid als, mass media, and grassroots community outreach.
Services. 39 pp. Information about funding and about costs and
measures of success is also provided.

GBSM. 2013. Oral Health 2014: Delaware—An Oral

Kansas Oral Health Plan 2022–2027 Health Literacy Strategic Communications Plan. Dover,
This plan is intended to serve as a roadmap for orga- DE: Delaware Health and Social Services, Bureau of
nizations and individuals to promote oral health in Oral Health and Dental Services. 24 pp.
Kansas. The plan focuses on four goals related to
(1) financing, (2) systems collaboration, (3) oral health
literacy, and (4) the oral health workforce. Goal 4, Strategic Plan: Oral Health in
objective 1, focuses on promoting oral health aware- Kentucky—2017 Strategic Plan on
ness in schools by providing school nurses with
training and tools. Oral Health
Heinrichs J, Kanakadandila K. 2022. Kansas Oral This plan provides information about ensuring the
Health Plan 2022–2027. Topeka, KS: Kansas Depart- best possible oral health for Kentuckians by col-
ment of Health and Environment, Bureau of Oral laborating to build oral health equity through access
Health. 66 pp. to oral health care, education, workforce readiness,
and effective use of resources. Topics include a survey
of individuals interested in oral health in the state,
data collection and metrics, dentistry as a business,
Oral Health 2014: Delaware— interprofessional collaboration, prevention, oral health
An Oral Health Literacy Strategic literacy, policy, emerging issues, and goals and action
Communications Plan items.

This report provides an overview of an oral health lit- Kentucky Department for Public Health, Ken-
eracy campaign in Delaware, describes the campaign’s tucky Oral Health Program. 2017. Strategic Plan:
communications approach, and discusses sustainabil- Oral Health in Kentucky—2017 Strategic Plan on
ity and next steps. Topics include information about Oral Health. Frankfort, KY: Kentucky Department
the campaign’s mission; successes; challenges; impact; for Public Health, Division of Maternal and Child
and levers, goals, and objectives. Additional topics Health. 58 pp.

Public Education
Baby Teeth Care: Birth to 2 Years of Age Brushing Your Child’s Teeth: Children
This tip sheet for parents and other caregivers pro-
Six Months and Older
vides information about how to care for primary teeth This tip sheet for parents and other caregivers pro-
in infants and young children from birth through age vides information about how to care for primary teeth
2. It discusses why primary teeth are important, what in infants and children ages 6 months and older. It
causes tooth decay, how to clean an infant’s or young discusses when to start brushing an infant’s teeth,
child’s primary teeth, and when to wean a child from how to teach a child to brush their teeth, how to
a bottle. The tip sheet is written in simple language brush a child’s teeth and how often to brush, and how
and is available in English and in Spanish. often a toothbrush should be replaced. The tip sheet is
written in simple language and is available in English
Virginia Department of Health. 2017. Baby Teeth
and in Spanish.
Care: Birth to 2 Years of Age. Richmond, VA: Virginia
Department of Health. 1 p. Virginia Department of Health. 2017. Brushing Your
Child’s Teeth: Children Six Months and Older. Rich-
mond, VA: Virginia Department of Health. 1 p.

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Dental Care During Pregnancy National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource
Center. 2023. Fluoride Varnish for Adults: Q&A.
This brochure provides information about how preg- Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral
nant women can care for their teeth. It explains why Health Resource Center. 1 p.
it is important and safe to get oral health care during
pregnancy and offers tips on how to care for an
infant’s mouth and teeth. The brochure is written in Healthy Habits for Happy Smiles
simple language. [Funded by the Maternal and Child
Health Bureau] This series of handouts for pregnant women and
parents of infants and young children provides
MaineHealth. 2017. Dental Care During Pregnancy. simple tips on nutrition and oral health issues. Top-
Portland, ME: Before the First Tooth. 2 pp. ics include brushing a young child’s teeth, choosing
healthy drinks, encouraging children to drink water
with fluoride, giving children healthy snacks, taking
Dental Steps for ME care of oral health for pregnant women, and taking
care of an infant’s oral health. The series is written
This video library is designed for pediatricians in simple language and is available in English and in
wishing to integrate oral health care into well-child Spanish.
visits, as well as for parents. The library contains one
video correlating with each well-child visit, from the National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and
2-month visit to the age-5 visit. Safety. 2021–. Healthy Habits for Happy Smiles. Wash-
ington, DC: National Center on Health, Behavioral
Children’s Oral Health Network of Maine. No Health, and Safety. 20 items.
date. Dental Steps for ME. No place: Children’s Oral
Health Network of Maine. Multiple items.
Healthy Mouths for You and Your Baby
Fluoride Varnish: For Children Age Six This video provides information about what preg-
Months and Older nant women and mothers can do to promote their
own and their child’s good oral health and why it is
This brochure for parents and other caregivers pro- important to do so. The video shows oral health pro-
vides information about fluoride varnish for children fessionals, pregnant women, and mothers discussing
ages 6 months and older. It discusses what fluoride the importance of good oral health during pregnancy
varnish is and what it does, its safety, how it is applied, and infancy. Also shown are oral health professionals
and how long its effects last. The brochure is written demonstrating oral health care for pregnant women
in simple language and is available in English and in and infants.
Spanish.
University of Maryland School of Public Health,
Virginia Department of Health. 2017. Fluoride Var- Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy.
nish: For Children Age Six Months and Older. Rich- 2013. Healthy Mouths for You and Your Baby. College
mond, VA: Virginia Department of Health. 1 p. Park, MD: University of Maryland School of Public
Health, Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health
Literacy. 1 video (11:49 minutes).
Fluoride Varnish for Adults: Q&A
This handout provides information for adults, includ- A Healthy Smile for Your Young Child:
ing pregnant women, about how fluoride varnish can
make their teeth more resistant to tooth decay. The
Tips to Keep Your Child Healthy
handout explains what fluoride varnish is and dis- This brochure is designed to educate parents and
cusses its safety. It also addresses things to avoid after other caregivers about oral hygiene and oral care for
it is applied to teeth, how long it lasts, how often it infants and young children. Topics include tooth-
should be applied, and whether it is covered by dental brushing, eating healthy foods, and getting oral health
insurance. The sheet is written in simple language and care. Additional topics include the importance of
is available English and in Spanish. [Funded by the primary teeth, tips to help parents keep their own
Maternal and Child Health Bureau] mouths healthy, and finding a dentist. The brochure is

P R O M OT I N G O R A L H E A LT H L I T E R A C Y: A R E S O U R C E G U I D E
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written in simple language and is available in English, Smoking and Pregnancy
German, and Spanish. A trifold brochure in English
and in Spanish is also available. [Funded by the This brochure lists health problems for both pregnant
Maternal and Child Health Bureau] women and their infants caused by smoking during
pregnancy. It also discusses the link between smok-
National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource ing and periodontal disease and provides informa-
Center. 2014. A Healthy Smile for Your Young Child: tion about the benefits of quitting smoking either
Tips to Keep Your Child Healthy. Washington, DC: before or during pregnancy. In addition, the brochure
National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource explains the importance of receiving regular oral
Center. 2 pp. health care and how to find a dental home. The bro-
chure is written in simple language, with English on
one side and Spanish on the other.
Oral Health: Tips for Families from the
Smiles for Children. 2017. Smoking and Pregnancy.
National Center on Early Childhood Richmond, VA: Virginia Department of Health. 2 pp.
Health and Wellness
This tip sheet for parents of children enrolled in Head
Start programs discusses the importance of good oral
Tips for Good Oral Health During
health habits for children. It provides tips for brush- Pregnancy
ing teeth, helping children learn proper brushing
techniques, eating healthy snacks, avoiding sugary This tip sheet provides information and resources
drinks and foods, and visiting the dentist. The tip to help women take care of their oral health during
sheet is available in Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, pregnancy. Topics include getting care, practicing
Chinese, English, Hmong, Marshallese, Polish, good oral hygiene, eating healthy foods, and practic-
Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Yiddish. ing other healthy behaviors. Additional topics include
taking care of their infant’s gums and teeth and
National Center on Early Childhood Health and asking their pediatric health professional to check
Wellness. 2014. Oral Health: Tips for Families from the their infant’s mouth starting at age 6 months. The tip
National Center on Early Childhood Health and Well- sheet is written in simple language and is available
ness. Elk Grove Village, IL: National Center on Early in Arabic, Chinese, Chuukese, English, German,
Childhood Health and Wellness. 1 p. Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Samoan, Spanish, and
Vietnamese. [Funded by the Maternal and Child
Health Bureau]
Pregnancy and Dental Health: Oral Health During Pregnancy Expert Workgroup,
What You Need to Know 2012–. Tips for Good Oral Health During Pregnancy.
Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral
This postcard provides information about oral health Health Resource Center. 2 pp.
during pregnancy. Topics include morning sickness,
changes in the mouth, and the importance of eat-
ing healthy foods. The postcard is written in simple
language. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health
Bureau]

Before the First Tooth. 2017. Pregnancy and Dental

Health: What You Need to Know. Portland, ME: Before
the First Tooth. 2 pp.

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Organizations
 Organizations
ACADEMY OF GENERAL DENTISTRY AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC
560 West Lake Street, Sixth Floor HEALTH DENTISTRY
Chicago, IL 60661-6600 136 Everett Road
Phone: (888) 243-3368 Albany, NY 12205
Website: www.agd.org Phone: (518) 694-5525
E-mail: [email protected]
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) serves the
Website: www.aaphd.org
needs of general dentists, represents their interests, and
provides continuing education. Information about oral The American Association of Public Health Dentistry
health literacy is available on the academy’s web- (AAPHD) works toward ensuring optimal oral health
site. AGD’s goal is to advance general dentistry and for individuals and communities. AAPHD’s goals are
improve oral health through high-quality continuing to foster partnerships between AAPHD members and
education and advocacy. stakeholders with an interest in public health dentistry,
translate evidence into policies and programs, and
develop talent and leadership in the field of public
AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH health dentistry.
AND QUALITY
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857 AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
Phone: (301) 427-1364 211 East Chicago Avenue
Website: www.ahrq.gov Chicago, IL 60611-2678
Phone: (312) 440-2500
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s E-mail: [email protected]
(AHRQ’s) mission is to produce evidence to make Website: www.ada.org
health care safer, higher quality, more accessible,
equitable, and affordable and to work within the U.S. The American Dental Association (ADA) promotes
Department of Health and Human Services and with good oral health to the public while representing the
other partners to help ensure that the evidence is oral health profession. ADA’s mission is to help den-
understood and used. Tools to help health care orga- tists succeed and to support the advancement of the
nizations, leaders, and professionals improve health health of the public. The association shares evidence-
literacy, as well as other information about health based insights that can help oral professionals provide
literacy, are available on AHRQ’s website. high-quality oral care for all and advocate for public
health by focusing on issues such as access to care and
rules and regulations that surround the practice of
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRIC dentistry.
DENTISTRY
211 East Chicago Avenue, Suite 1600 AMERICAN DENTAL HYGIENISTS’
Chicago, IL 60611-2637
Phone: (312) 337-2169 ASSOCIATION
Website: www.aapd.org 444 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3400
Chicago, IL 60611
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Phone: (312) 440-8900
(AAPD) works to achieve optimal oral health for Website: www.adha.org
children and adolescents, including those with special
health care needs. AAPD serves primary care and spe- The American Dental Hygienists’ Association works
cialty pediatric dentists, as well as general dentists who to ensure access to high-quality oral health care;
treat children and adolescents in their practices. advance oral health equity and reduce systemic racism;
promote dental hygiene education, licensure, practice,
and research; and represent the legislative interests of
dental hygienists at the local, state, and federal levels.

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AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH their oral health programs, extending the use of proven
strategies to prevent oral disease, enhancing efforts
ASSOCIATION, ORAL HEALTH SECTION to monitor oral disease, contributing to the scientific
801 I Street, N.W. knowledge base related to oral health and oral disease,
Washington, DC 20001 and guiding infection control in dentistry.
Phone: (202) 777-2742
Website: www.apha.org
HOROWITZ CENTER FOR HEALTH
The American Public Health Association (APHA)
strives to improve the health of all people and all LITERACY
communities and strengthen the public health profes- University of Maryland
sion. APHA’s Oral Health Section works to promote 4200 Valley Drive, School of Public Health Building,
the importance of oral health, increase access to oral Suite 2387
disease prevention and treatment, and monitor and College Park, MD 20742-2611
disseminate information about the oral health needs Phone: (301) 405-9435
of the public. Website: https://sph.umd.edu/research-impact/
research-centers/horowitz-center-health-literacy

ASSOCIATION OF STATE AND The Horowitz Center for Health Literacy conducts
research and provides education and services to
TERRITORIAL DENTAL DIRECTORS improve health literacy at the individual, family, com-
3858 Cashill Boulevard munity, organization, and societal levels. The center
Reno, NV 89509 aims to advance health literacy in Maryland and
Phone: (775) 626-5008 nationwide.
Website: www.astdd.org

The Association of State and Territorial Dental Direc- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND
tors (ASTDD) supports a strong and effective govern-
ment oral health presence in each state. ASTDD CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH
promotes the establishment of national public policy, 30 Convent Drive, Building 30
assists state oral health programs in developing and Bethesda, MD 20892-2190
implementing programs and policies for the preven- Phone: (301) 496-4261
tion and management of oral diseases, and builds E-mail: [email protected]
awareness and strengthens professionals’ knowledge Website: www.nidcr.nih.gov
and skills by developing and sharing resources.
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial
Research (NIDCR) seeks to improve oral health
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL through research, training, and the dissemination of
information and resources. NIDCR works to advance
AND PREVENTION, DIVISION OF ORAL fundamental knowledge about dental, oral, and cranio-
HEALTH facial health and disease and to translate this knowl-
1600 Clifton Road edge into prevention, early detection, and treatment
Atlanta, GA 30329-4027 strategies that improve overall health for all.
Phone: (800) 232-4636
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/index.html

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) works to combat disease and supports com-
munities and citizens to do the same. CDC’s Everyday
Words for Public Health Communication webpage offers
recommendations from CDC’s Health Literacy Coun-
cil and other agency communicators on how to reduce
jargon and improve materials’ readability. CDC’s Divi-
sion of Oral Health strives to improve oral health and
reduce oral health disparities by helping states improve

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NATIONAL MATERNAL AND CHILD OFFICE OF DISEASE PREVENTION AND
ORAL HEALTH RESOURCE CENTER HEALTH PROMOTION
Georgetown University 1101 Wootton Parkway
37th & O Streets, N.W. Rockville, MD 20852
Washington, DC 20057-1272 Website: health.gov
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mchoralhealth.org The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promo-
tion (ODPHP) works to encourage people to lead
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health healthy and active lives. ODPHP establishes and
Resource Center responds to the needs of profes- promotes national public health priorities; translates
sionals working in states and communities with the science into policy, guidance, and tools; and strives to
goal of improving oral health services for pregnant improve health literacy and equitable access to clear
women, infants, children, and adolescents, including and actionable health information.
those with special health care needs, and their families
(MCH population). The resource center collaborates
with government agencies, professional associations,
foundations, policy and research centers, and voluntary
organizations to gather, develop, and share informa-
tion and materials to promote sustainable oral health
services for the MCH population.

NATIONAL NETWORK FOR ORAL

HEALTH ACCESS
181 East 56th Avenue, Suite 411
Denver, CO 80216
Phone: (303) 957-0635
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.nnoha.org

The National Network for Oral Health Access

(NNOHA) works to improve the oral health of under-
served populations and contributes to overall health
through leadership, advocacy, and support to oral
health professionals in safety-net systems. NNOHA’s
priorities include ensuring that oral health care is
integrated into primary care; promoting evidence-
based oral-disease-management models; advocating
for every health center to have an oral health program;
and ensuring that oral health professionals have the
information, resources, and support required to deliver
high-quality services.

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