Hurricane Katrina Response

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, about 65% of dental offices in the affected counties were partially or completely destroyed, and others were unable to reopen until utilities were restored. The Oral Health Program established two temporary dental clinics in the cities of Waveland and Gulfport immediately after the storm to make emergent dental care available to Hurricane Katrina victims. Both clinics remained open to the public for about 60 days and provided urgent dental care to over 1,200 people. This was the first time in our nation's history that urgent dental care was included as part of a disaster recovery effort. Members of the U.S. Public Health Service Commission Corp and volunteer private providers provided this dental care, under the direction of the state dental director. The Oral Health Program also obtained a mobile dental clinic for a community health center on the Mississippi coast to use temporarily due to the destruction of their dental clinic located in Biloxi. The Coastal Family CHC used the mobile clinic from October 2005 through April of 2006 to provide dental care. A database was created to prepare a report on who received care, their chief presenting problem, and the type of care they received. This data will be presented at the American Public Health Association meeting in November 2006.

Public Water Fluoridation Program

Strong progress has been made to increase community water fluoridation programs. In 2002, only 39% of Mississippi's population on public water received fluoridation, and the state ranked 9th of 50 states and the District of Columbia with the lowest proportion of population receiving fluoridation. In 2003, the dental director obtained funding to increase water fluoridation through a non-profit philanthropic organization, the Bower Foundation. These monies are available to public water systems that serve 1,000 people or more which agree to establish and maintain a water fluoridation program for at least five years. Subsequently, 26 new water fluoridation programs have been approved, increasing the proportion of population in Mississippi that receives fluoridated water to 51%. In May, Mississippi received its second State Fluoridation Initiative Award at the National Oral Health Conference, one of just two states to earn this award in 2006.

State Oral Health Plan

By January 2006, the Governor's Oral Health Task Force had completed a five-year (2006-2010) state oral health plan that was sent to the Office of the Governor for review. A letter of support for the oral health plan from Governor Haley Barbour is found in the appendices. Objectives for FY 2007 are to release the plan to the public and assist the implementation of the state oral health plan through organized community partnerships. On September 7, 2006, a conference will be held with invited representatives from key state agencies and organizations to develop strategies to implement this plan.