The Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) developed a numerical scope of practice index for the dental hygiene profession called the 2001 Dental Hygiene Professional Practice Index (DHPPI) under a contract with the the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Scope of practice for dental hygienists has…
Individuals living in long-term care (LTC) facilities or receiving in-home care (IHC), are significantly more likely to have poorer oral health status compared to individuals living independently. Despite this increased risk, provision of dental services in LTC settings is limited. As the Baby Boomer Generation ages into LTC, the number of individuals requiring dental care…
Peer providers are individuals hired to provide direct support to those undertaking mental health (MH) or substance use disorder (SUD) recovery, often referred to in the literature as “consumers.” The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines a peer provider as “a person who uses his or her lived experience of recovery from…
While Medicaid dental coverage for children is relatively consistent across the 50 states, dental benefits for Medicaid-enrolled adults vary significantly from state to state. As a result of the recent economic recession, many states have moved to limit Medicaid expenditures for dental care. As of 2012, 22 states, including Oklahoma, either offer no adult dental…
Many healthcare organizations in the US have pursued new staffing or team arrangements to meet the challenges of increasing access to care, improving quality, and controlling costs. While much has been written about “health workforce innovation”, the field lacks a comprehensive framework to classify existing innovations and guide the development of new research questions. This…
As health systems continue to evolve toward more managed care models, care coordinators are playing an increasingly important role in ensuring that people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias (ADRD) receive appropriate, well-coordinated, and cost-effective care. Research has shown that effective care coordination and referral to services and supports for patients with ADRD and their…
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines a peer provider as “a person who uses his or her lived experience of recovery from mental illness and/or addiction, plus skills learned in formal training, to deliver services in behavioral health settings to promote mind-body recovery and resilience. Peer providers have traditionally worked as…
The local supply of physicians in any community, especially smaller and rural communities, depends on a flow of physicians into those communities from the places where they train or from more populous locations that may have more than enough physicians to meet population needs. This research brief explores whether it is possible to predict that…
Dental assistants (DAs) are important members of the oral health workforce team and perform a variety of clinical and administrative tasks. However, requirements for entry into the workforce, allowable tasks, and supervision vary by state. This report examines the dental assistant workforce to better understand roles, functions, and contributions to improving population oral health.
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), referred to as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) in some states, are the second-largest health care occupation that requires postsecondary education. More LPNs work in long-term care (LTC) than in any other sector. Demand for LPNs among long-term care providers is expected to increase substantially over the next several decades. Thus, there…
