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24
New Mexico Dental Journal, Fall 2016
OOH
New Mexico Department of Health
Dental Health Program
By Rudy Blea—OOH Program Director
C
hapter 24 of the New Mexico Health and
Safety Code mandates that the Department
of Health operate a dental health program.
The Office of Oral Health (OOH) program consists of:
conducting clinical oral health prevention programs,
providing funds to contractors to increase access to
oral health care for the uninsured and low-income,
promoting oral health throughout the state, promoting
and maintaining Community Water Fluoridation, and
serving as a clearing house for oral health issues.
The services provided by OOH fall in line with the
departments FY17–FY19 Strategic Plan to promote
health and wellness, improve health outcomes, and
assure safety net services for all people in New Mexico.
The OOH’s mission is to reduce the incidence of
oral disease among children and adults. The services
provided by OOH are via state staff and contractors
funded by OOH.
State Fiscal Year 16 OOH provided services to 16,102
individuals. 6,370 elementary school aged children
received dental sealants (state staff/contractor). 2,709
preschool aged and elementary aged children were
provided fluoride varnish. OOH contractors served
6,153 individuals—providing them preventive and/
or treatment services. Services are: application dental
sealants and fluoride varnish, examinations, fillings,
crowns, extractions, and emergency room services.
During the summer the state staff provided oral
health education and fluoride varnish to WIC clients
in New Mexico. Services provided by the state staff
and contracts exceeded $1.3 million dollars.
OOH team consists of
(Santa Fe Team)
Rudy Blea, Program Director
Veronica Macias RDH
Adina Herrera DA
Barbara Sandoval MSW
(Albuquerque Team)
Marilia Leyba RDH
Gladis Briggs CDA
(Las Cruces Team)
Judy Lopez RDH
Sonya Charrria DA
OOH contract support staff are
Ron Romero DDS
Lorraine Lucero LBSW
Community contractors are
UNM Dental Sciences
Community Dental Services
Mira Consultants
NM Smiles
Participa! Inc.
El Centro Family Health
Hidalgo Medical Services
Dental Care in Your Home
The preventive services provided by OOH fall in
line with The Task Force on Community Preventive
Services which recommends school sealant and
f luoride varnish programs and issued a strong
endorsement in 2001. In 2003 and in subsequent
years, the Association of State and Territorial Dental
Directors published a
Best Practice Approach Report
.
This report reviews the scientific evidence that school
sealant and fluoride varnish programs work.
The FY17–FY19 Strategic Plan can be viewed online at
https://nmhealth.org/publication/view/plan/2229/