MEDICAL DENTAL INTEGRATION
WHAT IS MEDICAL DENTAL INTEGRATION?
Medical Dental Integration is an approach to care that integrates and coordinates dental medicine into primary care and behavioral health to support individual and population health. It aims to improve oral health and chronic disease outcomes through an innovative systems-level approach.
Video: The Importance of Medical Dental Integration
This instructional video highlights the importance of medical dental integration (MDI) to connect oral health and overall health, with a special focus on two elements of MDI: interprofessional collaboration and bidirectional referral, a two-way communication system to coordinate care between dental and medical providers. The video also explains how dental hygienists and/or dentists would complete a Nutrition and Oral Health Assessment to evaluate a patient’s oral health status and nutrition habits.
NUTRITION & DIABETES TOOLKITS
Nutrition and Oral Health Screening Toolkit for Dental Providers
Dental caries and childhood overweight and obesity are two of the most common issues during childhood, and both are influenced by common modifiable risk factors. Providers can use this toolkit to identify and address pediatric patient’s (ages 1 – 18 years) risk factors for childhood obesity and dental caries. It includes information to help providers discuss the importance of good oral hygiene and healthy nutrition habits with their patients and encourage behavior change by using motivational interviewing skills.
Video: Step-by-Step Guide: Nutrition and Oral Health Screening Toolkit for Dental Providers
This video demonstrates how dental providers can utilize the Nutrition and Oral Health Screening Toolkit for Dental Providers developed by the CT Department of Public Health’s Office of Oral Health.
Prediabetes Screening Toolkit for Dental Providers
Diabetes affects over 30 million Americans. It can lead to problems with their eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart, and other part of their body. It can also affect their teeth, gums, and the rest of their mouth. Screening your patients for prediabetes can have a significant impact on their health, and on your ability to keep their oral health on track.
Providers can use this toolkit, developed by the CT Department of Public Health’s Office of Oral Health to screen adult patients (18+) for prediabetes. This toolkit contains a prediabetes screener, patient education materials, provider information, and a referral template to identify dental patients who are at risk or who have prediabetes.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HAVING A COPY OF THE NUTRITION OR PREDIABETES TOOLKITS?
Please email CTDPH.OralHealth@ct.gov if you would like to receive a copy of one or both toolkits.