Take Care of Your Teeth Arkansas Department of Health

Office of Oral Health

Information for Community Members & Providers | Programs & Services | Partnership Opportunities |
Reports & Data Sources

The ADH Office of Oral Health’s (OOH) mission is to promote life-long, optimum oral health for all Arkansans through primary prevention, education, accessible and culturally competent community-based oral health care, and informed policy development.

Good oral health is important to your overall health.

Oral diseases vary widely from cavities to gum disease to oral cancer. They can lead to speech problems, pain while eating, and disability. Oral health has been linked with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and pre-term and/or low birth weight babies.

Dental decay and periodontal diseases are both preventable. A healthy smile can last a lifetime with healthy habits, such as brushing, flossing, smart food choices, and dental visits. Learn more at the American Dental Association’s website, Mouth Healthy.

Information Community Members & Providers

Community Members

Dental Providers

Medical Providers

Programs & Services

School-Based Sealant Clinic Funding

Dental sealants are thin coatings that--when painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (molars)--can prevent dental decay for many years. School sealant programs are an effective way to reach children with dental sealants to prevent cavities. These programs provide pit and fissure sealants to children—generally aged 6 to 11 years—using portable equipment in a school setting.

If you’re a school nurse or other staff member interested in bringing a sealant clinic to your school, contact us at adh.ooh@arkansas.gov or 501-280-4111.

Classroom Toothbrushing Starter Kits

Daily toothbrushing is the single most important oral disease prevention method for people of all ages. Toothbrushing during the school day can teach children the skills they need to take care of their own teeth and gums.

The ADH OOH offers starter kits, including pre-pasted, disposable toothbrushes and other supplies, to schools who wish to help their students prevent oral disease.

If you’re a school nurse or teacher interested in implementing daily toothbrushing in the school setting, look at our toothbrushing toolkit and contact us at adh.ooh@arkansas.gov or 501-280-4111.

ADH OOH Classroom Toothbrushing Toolkit

Dental Hygiene Collaborative Care

Arkansas-licensed dentists and dental hygienists who wish to provide services in public settings, such as schools and long-term care facilities, may enter into a collaborative care agreement that allows dental hygienists to provide preventive services without a dentist onsite. The OOH aids in reviewing and approving DHCC permit applications to enhance this initiative to expand access to dental services.

More information can be found here.

Paint-A-Smile: Fluoride Varnish

The Paint-A-Smile program trains medical professionals to perform oral health risk assessments, oral health screenings, education, and apply fluoride varnish in clinical settings.

Program goals:

Close the gaps that exist for children who do not have regular access to comprehensive dental care
Reduce the risk of dental caries
Initiate a referral to a dental home
Educate caregivers about tooth decay and prevention

To start applying fluoride varnish in your office, please contact us HERE to schedule a free in-person training.

You can also become certified to apply fluoride varnish and receive free CE through the Smiles for Life online training course “Caries Risk Assessment, Fluoride Varnish, and Counseling.”

Community Water Fluoridation Maintenance and Support

Under the State Actions to Improve Oral Health Outcomes grant (DP-1810), the ADH OOH helps community water systems maintain optimum fluoridation levels by reimbursing the cost of equipment necessary for the fluoridation process. This includes pumps, digital scales, personal protective equipment, and more. Arkansas water systems that may need support for fluoridation equipment repair or replacement can fill out a request form here.

Helpful information for Water Operators:

CDC Water Fluoridation Training Course: Fluoridation Learning Online (FLO)
Drinking Water – Systems & Operators in Arkansas

Partnership Opportunities

The ADH OOH supports a number of outreach events and provides educational materials to partners statewide. The ADH OOH seeks to establish partnerships and collaborations with individuals and organizations who have shared goals to improve access to oral health care, increase oral health education, and foster a culture of optimum oral health across the state.

We encourage you to contact us at adh.ooh@arkansas.gov or call 501-280-4111 for more information.

Reports & Data Sources

The ADH Office of Oral Health reviews or collects data from a variety of sources, both national and state levels. Oral health reports and data are helpful tools to:

Monitor and measure the burden of disease, identify the population at high risk, and new or emerging health concerns
Guide the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs to prevent and control disease
Evaluate public policy and prioritize the allocation of health resources
Detect changes in health practices and the effects of these changes
Develop hypotheses for epidemiologic research

Basic Screening Survey (BSS) Reports

The ADH OOH routinely evaluates oral health conditions among population groups through surveillance projects called “Basic Screening Surveys.” The surveys provide oral health advocates, researchers, policy makers, and government officials with valuable information for future programs and recommendations.

Oral Health Data Deck

The purpose of the Oral Health Data Deck is to provide a comprehensive set of graphs and charts on the impacts of oral health preventative practices and risk factors. This project provides oral health-related data to program staff, organizations, and the public. The charts and graphs can be copied for use in other presentations or reports.

Oral Health Data Deck 2022

Arkansas State Oral Health Improvement Plan
The State Oral Health Improvement Plan was created by the Arkansas Oral Health Coalition in partnership with the ADH OOH. The plan should be read as an open invitation to any person or group with an interest in improving health to:

consider your work and how it aligns with the plan's promising interventions
think about what you and your colleagues can do to help bring these interventions into reality
foster a health culture that includes oral health
prioritize your oral health
Arkansas Oral Health Plan 2023-28