This study, conducted between 2018-2020, identifies barriers surrounding oral healthcare that adults with IDD face and strategies for overcoming these barriers in New Jersey. The study involved in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, engagement with representatives of NJ Medicaid managed care organizations, a statewide survey of dentists, data scraping, and a thorough literature review. The outcomes of this study included a guide for creating a statewide directory of dentists who serve adults with IDD, and a comprehensive five-year advocacy plan that identifies how best to improve statewide capacity to deliver dental services for people with IDD.
The advocacy plan has and will continue to guide initiatives to improve oral health for adults with IDD, including efforts led by the Oral Health Coalition of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The project team remains engaged in these efforts. This study was funded by the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities (NJCDD)
Project Publications
Presentation for The Arc of New Jersey, November 5, 2020
Presentation for representatives of NJ Managed Care Organizations: Oral health care experiences among individuals with IDD, January 31, 2020
Presentation for New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, May 23, 2019
Project Staff (2018-2020)
Heather Koball, PhD, Co-Director
Suma Setty, MPH, Senior Research Associate
Kavita Ahluwalia, DDS, MPH, Associate Professor of Dental Medicine & Director of Postdoctoral Program in Dental Public Health at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
Chelsea Fosse, DMD, MPH, Senior Health Policy Analyst at Health Policy Institute at the American Dental Association
Contact
Seth Hartig
hartig@nccp.org