Transformation

About the Oral Health Transformation Initiative

Download the Report [PDF]

Together, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) and the NCOHC convened a multi-sector task force to evaluate, assess, and recommend potential options regarding oral health system transformation.

The Oral Health Transformation Task Force brought together key oral and health care stakeholders, policymakers, academics, and other influencers in the collaborative design, development, and messaging of oral health care transformation opportunities in North Carolina.

In April 2024, the task force published a comprehensive report with 14 recommendations for equitable, accessible, integrated, high-quality oral health care delivery in North Carolina. Learn more about the task force approach and historical timeline below.

The task force did the following to determine a path forward that shapes access to care for our state’s most vulnerable populations and positively affects oral health outcomes for years to come:

  • Evaluated and learned from oral health transformation models across the United States, focusing on successes, challenges, and lessons learned
  • Considered options and opportunities to reimagine delivery of oral health care services in North Carolina through collective stakeholder engagement
  • Developed consensus-driven recommendations and considerations for oral health transformation in North Carolina to be presented to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the North Carolina General Assembly

Task Force Timeline

Phase 1: Planning | January 1, 2022 – June 30, 2022

  • Objective 1: Literature review and evaluation of current Medicaid transformation models for oral health services across the United States
  • Objective 2: Information gathering — key informant interviews, qualitative analysis, and summary of lessons learned from stakeholders across the United States
  • Objective 3: Qualitative interviews with Medicaid beneficiaries to understand current system barriers

Phase 1 Deliverables:

  1. Cross-state impact analysis report
  2. Market survey report
  3. Medicaid beneficiary impact report
  4. Full report summarizing key findings and recommendations [PDF]

Phase 2: Task Force Implemenatation | July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023

  • Objective 4: Convening of a 12-month task force to evaluate other states’ oral health transformation models, determine options and opportunities for North Carolina, and develop a final report outlining actionable recommendations and key considerations

Phase 2 Deliverables:

  1. Preparation of task force (identification of task force membership, steering committee, and co-chairs); identification of key topics, speakers, and meeting agenda overview plan
  2. Task force launch – 10 meetings between July 2022 and June 2023
  3. Final report and dissemination plan

Phase 3: Dissemination of Task Force Findings | July 1, 2023 – December 2023