In 2008, the CT Office of Oral Health developed the Home by One program to increase awareness of good oral health for children and families who participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Additionally, the nationwide and federally funded Head Start Dental Home Initiative was launched to develop a network of dentists. And lastly, there was an increase in reimbursement rates for dental providers participating in Medicaid. All of these initiatives have contributed to the increase in the percent of children in the HUSKY program receiving dental care under 3 years of age.

However, the COVID-19 Pandemic had significant impact on dental utilization during this time period. In March 2020, the CDC and American Dental Association recommended dental offices be open only for urgent and emergency care which lasted for approximately 4 months. This included closure of dental services at school and community-based health services including mobile dentistry programs. Pediatric offices also reported suspending oral health assessments and fluoride varnish treatment as part of their well-child visits during this time period. HUSKY Health members were surveyed in May 2021 and noted COVID-19 as being the top reason they did not go to the dentist in the prior 12 months. 

The Department of Social Services and the CT Dental Health Partnership continues to conduct significant outreach and media campaigns to educate members on the importance of oral health and to seek care. This includes member electronic newsletters focused on oral health for adults and children during COVID in November 2020 and again February 2021 to 373,500 HUSKY Members, 40,749 oral health kits with messaging to oral health and the pandemic distributed to community-based organizations during 2020-2021, and over 500,000 phone calls to members regarding oral health during the heigh of the pandemic. 

Dental utilization is recovering, however slowly impacted by significant dental workforce shortages. 

Data are current as of year end 2022.

Connecticut Department of Public Health; State Department of Education; Connecticut Department of Social Services; Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; Connecticut Department of Developmental Services; Connecticut Office of Early Childhood; Connecticut Department of Children and Families; Commission on Children; community health centers; school based health centers; primary care and dental providers; health professional associations for pediatricians and other primary care providers; faith-based organizations; community service providers for family, youth and child development; local boards of education and special education; schools of public health, allied health, nursing and medicine.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) adopted the policy on the Dental Home in 2001 and has been revised it multiple times, most recently in 2015. The AAPD encourages that children have a dental home beginning as early as six months of age. A Dental Home is the ongoing relationship between the Primary Dental Care Provider and the child, and includes comprehensive oral health care beginning no later than age one; and the concept has been endorsed by the AAPD, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Dental Association.

Current year priority strategies and actions will be linked here once available.

SHIP Strategies

Advocacy and Policy

• Advocate for more funding for Home by One
• Support enrollment and utilization of HUSKY
• Ensure maintenance of appropriate pool of providers accepting HUSKY insurance

Partnership and Collaboration

• Provide public education on importance of annual preventive dental services
• Conduct public education and awareness campaigns that include cultural and linguistic issues

Education and Training

• Educate providers; include cultural and linguistic resources