Oral Health Outreach, LLC(OHO) is a privately held company which has developed a new delivery model for dental services and treatment, particularly to under-served seniors and children who are chronically denied access to quality oral health care due to mobility constraints, economic conditions or both.

In the year 2000, the Surgeon General’s Report on the Oral Health of Americans sounded the alarm of a “Silent epidemic of dental disease” in certain populations. These groups include families in lower socioeconomic circumstances, immigrants, seniors, and persons living with disabilities. This situation together with the high need for preventive services delivered in the community setting is creating inertia to develop independent practice and business models for dental hygienists.

OHO has conducted extensive Beta testing over the past 12 months in both Medicaid/Headstart/WIC as well as senior target groups. The result of these tests confirms that there is extensive demand combined with even more limited supply of dental practioners to these groups. Mobility constraint is also a significant barrier to the delivery of routine oral health care regardless of economic status.

OHO is a recruiting, training, marketing and management support organization for hygienists seeking access to chronically under-served groups such as residents at senior centers and affordable housing communities as well as individuals on a one to one basis and other groups in various public or private institutional settings. The following highlights a perfect storm of events that without OHO will lead to catastrophic medical outcomes for patients and financial results for a healthcare industry desperately seeking lower cost alternatives to the current failed economic healthcare model.

• Report on Oral Health of Americans by Surgeon General (200) alerts to a “Silent epidemic of dental disease.”
• Dental public health literature shows that 80% of tooth cavities are found in 20% of the population. Same groups with little access to care.
• CDC 2007 report shows the cavities are rising in the youngest children ages 2-5 for the first time in 50 years.
• Dental hygiene schools/graduates far outnumber dentistry schools/graduates.
• Access to dental care will be acutely limited at a time when health care legislation will add millions to Medicaid roles and dental disease is on the rise.
• Combining teledentistry with an underutilized workforce (dental hygiene) in alternative practice model with dentists is the solution.