TxOHC Board Governance Nominations Report
The Texas Oral Health Coalition Board Governance Committee selected the candidates listed below for nomination to the 2021-2022 Board of Directors and were approved by the Board of Directors on June 17, 2021.
The Board is comprised of a Chairperson, Chairperson Elect, Immediate Past Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and six Directors. The Director positions are staggered and all terms are for two years. Director positions 1, 2 and 3 will be elected in odd number years and positions 4, 5 and 6 will be elected in even number years along with the Officers.
On May 22, 2021, Chair Elect Maryam Tabrizi resigned her position and the according to the Bylaws, Section 3.3 d. the Chair is to appoint someone to fill any Board vacancies until the next member meeting. Chairman Johnson appointed Matthew Thompson to serve as Chair Elect. The Board unanimously voted in approval of his appointment on June 17, 2021 and Mr. Thompson will be on the elections ballot to be ratified by the general membership on July 30, 2021.
The Chairperson will open the floor for any additional nominations. After each nominee is vetted and eligibility confirmed the final slate will be voted on by TxOHC members. Since this meeting is virtual an electronic ballot will be sent out after the meeting to attending members to cast their votes in writing.
Board of Director Nominees for 2021-2022
Officer:
Will complete 2021-2022 term and then move into Chair position July 2022 for two-year term.
Chair Elect: Matt Thompson, JD
Matthew Thompson is currently the Director of Financial Monitoring and Contract Compliance at Every Body Texas. Matthew works with Every Body Texas’s network of Title X clinics to ensure granted funds are being spent appropriately and we are following federal requirements. He approaches this work by supporting administrators and clinic staff to be good stewards of our funding and to ensure that the clients seeking services have access to the high-quality care they deserve.
Matthew, has a JD from the University of Houston as well as his black belt in Lean Six Sigma.
Directors:
Position #1: Sohini Dhar, BDS, MPH
Dr. Dhar is Community Health Dentist for Harris County Public Health’s community-based portable dental program which provides a full scope of dental services. She received her Bachelor of Dental Surgery, First Class, from Sri Ramchandra University in India. She has a Master of Public Health degree from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, and she did a Postdoctoral Residency in Dental Public Health at UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. She is board certified by the American Board of Dental Public Health.
Position #2: Justine Jimenez, DDS, MSc
Dr. Jimenez is a Public Health Dentist with the City of Houston Health Department, Bureau of Health. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University and her Master of Science degree in Clinical Public Health Nutrition from the University College of London, School of Medicine in London, U.K. Dr. Jimenez’s DDS degree is from Meharry Medical College, School of Dentistry. She has certificates in General Practice Residency and Oral Physician from Harvard School of Dental Medicine and is currently enrolled in a Special Care Dentistry Fellowship.
Position #3: Yashashri Urankar, BDS, MPH
Dr. Urankar is Chief Dental Officer at Federally Qualified Health Center: The Community Health Centers of South-Central Texas. She received her Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree from Goa Dental College and Hospital in Goa, India. She has a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, and a Certificate in Education of Healthcare Professionals from Texas A & M Baylor College of Dentistry.
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KIDS COUNT 2021 Data Book
Released June 21, 2021
The 2021 KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation was recently published and according to the state profile fact sheet, Texas ranks 46th overall and 49th in health.
This report has the latest statistics on kids, youth and families from Casey's KIDS COUNT Data Center. Additionally, the 2021 Data Book includes a new interactive data book offering new ways to explore the key indicators and state data.
The Texas profile fact sheets may be found in English and in Spanish.
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Fall Webinar Schedule
TxOHC is excited to host a series of webinars this Fall. Upcoming live webinars will be complimentary for TxOHC members.
- September 10, 2021: "Oral Cancer Update" with Dr. Paras B. Patel, DDS
- October 8, 2021: "Oral Manifestations of Systemic Diseases & Conditions" with Dr. Paras B. Patel, DDS
- November 12, 2021: "Common Lesions of the Oral Cavity, from Diagnosis to Treatment" with Dr. Paras B. Patel, DDS
- December 10, 2021: "Knowledge of the HPV Vaccine and the Relationship with Oral Health and Perception of HPV Administration in a Dental Setting Among US Adults" with Dr. Christina Demopoulos, DDS, MPH and Dr. Shillpa Naavaal, BDS, MS, MPH
Learn more about these webinars on the TxOHC website here.
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REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
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Friday, July 9, 2021
2021 Texas Oral Health Virtual Conference
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM CDT
Lunch will be from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
The overall goal of this event is to enable the learner to: increase integrated practice collaboration so that all health providers are aware of the oral-systemic link and how poor oral health affects overall health and well-being.
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the mental health of our population. According to research and a survey done by the CDC, more people have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, substance abuse issues, stress-related symptoms, and suicidal thoughts since the pandemic began.
Stress and depression are potential causes of inflammation and some studies have linked depression to chronic periodontitis. All health providers are asked to screen for mental health issues in their patients from young children to older adults. The mental health of providers is also important as it may impact the quality of care they provide to patients.
Education and training are needed to increase integrated practice collaboration so that all health providers are aware of the oral-systemic link and how poor oral health is related to overall health and well-being. Integrated interprofessional oral health education will help train front line providers such as primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and emergency physicians to serve as essential members of the oral health workforce, detecting, treating and referring oral health problems in patients who do not receive regular dental care.
To view conference details including course descriptions, speaker information and registration, please visit https://www.texasoralhealthconference.com/schedule.html.
Continuing education credit for multiple disciplines will be provided for this event.
Attendees may earn up to 7.0 continuing dental education hours
and up to 6.0 credits/contact hours for CME, CNE, SW, CHES, Certified in Public Health, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, and Licensed Professional Counselors during this joint providership event.
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TxOHC Virtual Auction
The Texas Oral Health Coalition is hosting a virtual silent auction in July and winners will be announced during the TxOHC Annual Member Meeting on July 30, 2021.
Everyone is invited to participate in this year’s virtual silent auction. Revenue received from the auction will go towards the sustainability of the Coalition. TxOHC’s programming depends on the generous support of the oral healthcare community, so we hope you will join the fun and help us make this year’s auction one of the best!
Beginning July 9, 2021 our virtual auction will open for the community to bid against one another for the coveted items. You’ll even have the option to receive push alerts to let you know when someone has outbid you! Below are just a few of our items.
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact Jessica Stewart, Operations Coordinator at j.stewart@txohc.org or 432-413-2811.
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Registration is Open
TxOHC Annual Member Meeting
July 30, 2021 from 12:00 - 2:00 PM CDT
Featuring Dr. Rhonda Stokley, DDS
presenting the Texas Oral Health State of the State Update.
Meeting is complimentary, but registration is required.
Register Here
The Texas Oral Health Coalition is pleased to invite all members to our annual member meeting on Friday, July 30, 2021 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM where Dr. Rhonda Stokley, DDS, Health Screening and Oral Health Unit Manager and State Public Health Dental Director, will provide the Oral Health: State of the State update. We are excited to share some important announcements about new opportunities for our members to connect, leverage resources and work collaboratively on oral health issues for our state.
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New TCHMB Reference on Medical Care for Women in Texas
The Texas Collaborative for Healthy Mothers and Babies (TCHMB) has developed a reference sheet to empower frontline workers in assisting low-income, uninsured women in Texas who may qualify for the main public healthcare coverage programs (Medicaid for Pregnant Women, CHIP-Perinatal, Healthy Texas Women and the Family Planning Program).
The reference sheet is intended to help close knowledge gaps, encourage greater utilization of available resources, and increase access to healthcare. It has been developed in collaboration with stakeholders through an ongoing co-design process that has included focus groups, interviews, and a dedicated workgroup.
The reference sheet may be downloaded in English and Spanish. More information may also be found on TCHMB's website.
-- The Texas Collaborative for Healthy Mothers and Babies
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Mental Health Meets Oral Health:
How Medication Use is Linked to
Oral Health Problems
The article Differences in medication usage of dental patients by age, gender, race/ethnicity and insurance status examines the medication usage of adult dental patients and their demographics to better understand the medication profiles of dental patients.
Their findings show that in adult patients aged 18 - 54, opioid antagonists and SSRIs were most commonly used. This demonstrates that many younger adult dental patients are taking psychotropic medications, and highlights the importance of reviewing medication histories by all health providers on medical and dental teams to help prevent negative oral and overall health outcomes.
Read the article here.
-- Oral Health Nursing Education and Practice (OHNEP)
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Donate to TxOHC
Make plans to give to your favorite nonprofit either with AmazonSmile by choosing TxOHC as your cause as you do your online shopping, or by the donation button below.
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