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2023 Virginia General Session Wrap-Up
Virginia’s General Assembly session ended on February 25. However, lawmakers are still negotiating updates to the state budget. The budget is crucial because it funds the agencies and programs that serve Virginians. Virginia Health Catalyst’s budget priorities include: $100,000 in general funds and $100,000 in nongeneral funds to study the costs and benefits of adding…
Read MorePushing Boundaries to Eliminate Disparities: A Black History Month Reflection on Oral Health Champions
Racism drives health inequities and is a public health emergency. Ongoing systemic racism and unequal impacts of the pandemic contribute to many health and health care disparities that adversely impact the overall health and well-being of Black people in America. We’ve seen firsthand, and through the efforts of others (such as here and here), the…
Read MoreH2Outlook Virginia: The Path to Advancing Drinking Water Equity
Drinking water is essential for life, but reliable access to safe, affordable drinking water isn’t a guarantee. More and more, we hear stories about the past and present water crises: from Jackson, MS, or Flint, MI, to the troubling drought in the American West, it’s clear our water systems are in trouble. Without adequate infrastructure,…
Read MoreCatalyst Policy Priorities: 2023 Legislative Session
Policies influence our health. Ensuring that policies at the local, state, and federal levels support comprehensive health care access for all Virginians is integral to Catalyst’s mission. Catalyst engages with partners across the commonwealth to advocate for health policies that advance equity and center the voices and experiences of the communities who are directly impacted.…
Read MoreBridging the Gap Between Patient Experience and Provider Assumptions
A new Impact Story describes a collaborative project that identified a disconnect between patients’ experiences and providers’ assumptions about barriers to dental care, as well as examples of the impact of racism in health care. Patients described a public oral health system that didn’t meet their needs, citing the following as barriers to care: Cost…
Read MoreDental Assistant IIs Build Capacity and Pathways to Care
Two issues consistently rise to the top related to the dental workforce in Virginia: The significant waiting lists of new patients at dental clinics because of provider capacity limitations; and The need for a more robust dental public health pathway that builds a workforce that looks like the state demographics and serves low-income and uninsured…
Read MoreOral Health Care and Your Family
When you think of your child’s overall health, does their mouth come to mind? Oral health plays a critical role in the overall health of kids and adults, you can’t be truly healthy without a healthy mouth! At Virginia Health Catalyst we connect with parents, educators, and dental providers to empower families across the commonwealth…
Read MoreImproving Oral Health in Virginia’s Schools
Schools aren’t just a place for children to learn, they are a place that can address the health needs of Virginia students. In particular, school-based oral health programs can address the dental care gap many students face. What are school-based oral health programs? School-based oral health programs address multiple barriers to health care access and…
Read More2020 – Year in Review
2020 was not the year any of us expected in January! However, I’m proud of the Catalyst team and the way we, and our partners, adapted to the “new normal.” We’ve met each other’s pets, learned the intricacies of Zoom, and tried our best to not talk when we are muted. We’ve also pivoted rapidly…
Read MoreFront Line Innovations – Aerosol Management Part 3
Research has shown COVID-19 is transmitted through aerosols. To combat this the CDC recommends aerosol management practices for dental offices. In the last of a three-part blog series Dr. McAllister Castelaz, the dental director at Horizon Health Services Ivor Dental Center shares how aerosol management coupled with minimally invasive dentistry is reshaping dental care. View…
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