Kentucky Extension Professionals Use Oral Health Partnership to Educate Communities

This month's Journal of Extension (JOE) features an article written by Sharlee Shirley, former HEEL Specialist. Sharly's article concludes the following: "Over 6,500 Kentuckians have participated in the Oral Health Wellness and Disease Prevention Program, with the majority of those being children ages 10 -12. Unique partnerships have been developed between Cooperative Extension and local agencies such as schools, head start programs, local health departments, family resource centers, and daycare facilities. Also, provider-based partnerships have been initiated, like Cooperative Extension agents working in tandem with local dental professionals to conduct oral cancer screenings and oral health educational workshops. Cooperative Extension has used the Oral Health Wellness and Disease Prevention Program to build community capacity to address the oral health educational needs of its citizens." Access JOE for more information about Extension work.