Division of Community Health Promotion

Public Health Dental Program

The Public Health Dental Program leads the Department of Health's efforts to improve and maintain the oral health of all persons in Florida. The Dental Program has four primary functions. It provides a statewide direction for policy related to oral health issues; it promotes and administers oral health education and preventive dental programs; it collects and analyzes data on oral health; and it supports the provision of direct dental care services through the County Health Departments (CHD) and other public and private organizations.

• Provides direction on oral health policy
  • Researches and recommends policy change that can improve inequities in access to oral health care services in the state
  • Facilitates collaborative efforts of statewide oral health stakeholders in relation to oral health policy
  • Develops and administers state and local oral health coalitions such as Oral Health Florida, the statewide oral health coalition
• Promotes cost-effective community and school-based oral health educational and preventive activities
  • Supports school-based fluoride mouth rinse and sealant programs
  • Promotes and implements community water fluoridation for eligible communities throughout the state and monitors new and existing systems to maintain optimal fluoride levels
  • Encourages early childhood caries preventive programs using non-dental staff
  • Strives to integrate oral health into general health programs such as WIC, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, and Obesity programs
  • Provides consultative and technical assistance to maternal and child health programs, school health programs, WIC programs, schools, state and federal government entities, community and professional organizations and private citizens
• Collects and analyzes statewide and local oral health data
  • Monitors state and county oral health status, dental treatment needs, and utilization of dental services
  • Facilitates the continued development of an integrated, coordinated oral health system between the public and private sectors
  • Evaluates and promotes the development of efficient and effective programs
• Supports the provision of direct dental care services
  • Promotes collaboration among statewide dental and other health care providers
  • Provides consultative and technical assistance to state and professional organizations
  • Provides technical assistance, evaluation, administrative support, and quality assurance guidance to CHD dental programs which include on-site facilities, mobile units, contractual arrangements and teledentistry
  • Administers CHD categorical dental funding and administers dental contracts with a variety of public and private organizations

Public Health Dental Program Website