The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Administration for Community Living, and the Office on Women's Health have launched a new website to help communities, governments, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and private businesses promote oral health in older adults.

The site, oralhealth.acl.gov, comprises two main components: a searchable database of almost 200 community-based oral health programs across the U.S. and an oral health guide to help local organizations start or enhance their own oral health programs for older adults.

The oral health guide, entitled the Community Guide to Adult Oral Health Program Implementation, provides step by step information aimed at guiding individuals and communities through the program development process, from assessing the community’s need for oral health services to ultimately evaluating the established program’s effectiveness. Additionally, the oral health guide contains templates, worksheets, and other interactive resources related to target population selection; vision, mission, and goals development; program design and implementation; partnership-building; and funding.

Impact on General Dentistry: Additional resources on starting or enhancing an oral health program for seniors can be found here.