Promoting Oral Health Literacy, Access, and Coverage within Immigrant and Refugee Communities

Session Description: - For more than a decade, the New Mainers Public Health Initiative (NMPHI) has worked with refugees, asylum seekers, and individuals in need, to equip them with key information about oral health coverage and care services as they transition to Maine. With support from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, this work continues to include oral health and is conducted slowly and intentionally by Community Health Worker (CHW) leaders, often identifying as immigrants or refugees themselves and sharing cultural identities with community members. NMPHI’s project activities have translated to increased levels of oral health literacy and opportunities for economic advancement/professional development among community members, as well as a sustained, community-supported advocacy campaign to expand dental coverage in Maine. This session will explore NMPHI’s Learning Model as well as its recommendations to create a more accessible and equitable system of oral health care for immigrant and refugee communities in Maine.