Harvard Launches a National Center to Evaluate Oral Health Integration in Primary Care Training

June 12, 2017
CIPCOH launch

The Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) in collaboration with Harvard Medical School (HMS) and the University of Massachusetts Medical School was awarded a five-year, $3.5 million dollar cooperative agreement grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish a national Center for Integration of Primary Care and Oral Health (CIPCOH). The Center’s research and activities will address the gaps in oral health integration in primary care training with special emphasis on training enhancements that will prepare primary care providers to deliver high quality, cost-effective, patient-centered care that promotes oral health, addresses oral health disparities and meets the unique needs of all communities.

CIPCOH will contribute to the improvement of primary care practice and patient outcomes by conducting systems-level research on primary care training, disseminating information, and developing a community of practice of stakeholders.

The Center formally launched its community of practice effort on Thursday, May 5 with a luncheon at HSDM that brought together various members of the health care and academic communities. Guest speaker, Katherine Gottlieb, MBA, DPS, President and CEO of the Southcentral Foundation in Alaska spoke about how the health care organization, serving nearly 65,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people, offers comprehensive health services including primary care and dental care under one roof, and the benefits of such a model.

Watch a video from the launch event.

CIPCOH will build its community of practice through collaboration with local, state and national stakeholders with mutual missions, goals and/or interests in promoting oral health integration into primary care training, across the spectrum of learners, and primary care practice. Learn more.