The Weekly Wednesday Update is our newsletter which we email every Wednesday with oral health, health and policy updates from around the state and nationally.

To view past issues click here.

 

September 24, 2025
Volume 16, Issue 37

 

 

Help Finish the Job on Medicaid Dental Rates!

Thanks to the hard work of advocates across Kansas, a Medicaid dental rate increase went into effect on July 1, 2025! With a $10 million investment from the Legislature, most dental rates increased - some by as much as 30 - 50%. This is the largest dental rate increase in at least two decades, and providers are already saying it’s a promising step forward.

We are not finished yet. The increase, while historic, still does not cover the significant costs of running a dental office. To ensure Medicaid dental rates are competitive with commercial rates, Oral Health Kansas and partners are advocating for the Legislature to complete the job in 2026.

Your voice matters more than ever to help the Legislature understand why a further increase in the rates is needed to maintain and improve the dental provider network. Whether it’s raising awareness among colleagues, emailing legislators, sharing your story, or simply signing on with your organization’s name, every action helps build momentum.

The first step is to join the coalition today by adding your name to this form. Together, we can strengthen the dental provider network and make sure Kansans with Medicaid coverage have access to the dental care they need.

 

 

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health to Speak at 2025 Conference

We’re delighted to have Melissa Buroughs Senior Director, Policy & Advocacy from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health speak at the 2025 Conference on Oral Health which will be held Friday, November 7 at the KU Edwards Campus. She will be sharing insights on community water fluoridation. Fluoride is safe and reduces tooth decay. Now with the current challenges, let’s hear from Melissa about what we can do to preserve the future of fluoride!

The event is hybrid! Click here to find more information about the conference including registration: https://www.oralhealthkansas.org/Conference.html
Attendee Rate - $125
Student Rate - $20
Walk-up Attendee - $150
Walk-up Student - $25

Hotel: Courtyard Kansas City Olathe
12151 South Strang Line Ct.
Olathe, Kansas 66062
$145 plus taxes. Please book by October 16.
Book at this link or by calling 1-888-236-2427. Group name: Conference on Oral Health
Yes, CE’s will be available!

We also have sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities! Exhibitors have access to all conference sessions and meals. Learn about our various opportunities here. If you want to sign up, click here to register as a sponsor or exhibitor.

 

 

Oral Health Advocates Tour Local Community Health Center

The Shawnee County Oral Health Coalition members held their bimonthly meeting at the AllWays Community Health Center, formerly Marian Dental Clinic. The group meets every other month to discuss the work they’re doing around their Topeka community in regards to oral health or upcoming events they can be a part of. During this meeting they got a tour of AllWays Community Health Center by Dental Operations Manager, Laura Gigstad who is also a Shawnee County Oral Health Coalition member.

If you’re interested in joining the Shawnee County Oral Health Coalition or would like to learn more about it, email us at info@oralhealthkansas.org.

 

 

Making Medicaid Work for You Webinar Series Continues Strong

We held our second to the last webinar series on Tuesday, September 23. The topic was
Do Well by Doing Good: Medicaid Opportunities. OHK’s Dental Medicaid Facilitator, Bryan Thompson, shared the importance of how being a Medicaid provider is more than just someone who cleans teeth. A dental Medicaid provider is also someone who is helping the neighbor down the street who has a child with a disability and is on Medicaid and needs to see a dentist. We shared the story of Aaron Bumann, a pediatric dentist in the Kansas City area who accepts Medicaid. Click the link here to learn about the untapped potential in Medicaid and click here to watch a full interview with Dr. Bumann about
what drives him to be a Medicaid provider.

If you’re interested in becoming a Medicaid provider but still have some questions or not sure what steps to take first, email Bryan at bthompson@oralhealthkansas.org. He will try to find the best answer or option for you.

Our LAST webinar will be on Tuesday, September 30 at 1:15pm CST. The webinar is only 30 minutes! This session will be on the My Dental Care Passport. This communication tool has been recently revised and we’re excited to show it to everyone and walk through how you can use it.

Click here to register. To view the past recorded webinars, you can find those here.

The webinar series is supported through an ARPA grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Division of Health Care Finance.

 

 

Tomorrow! Next Accessible Oral Health ECHO Series

The next "Building Confidence in Dental Teams to Serve People with Disabilities" session will be held on September 25 at 12:00pm CST. The ECHO series began at the beginning of  September and will run every Thursday through October 2. The goal of the webinars is to deepen understanding of disabilities, address sensitivities that can arise in dental care, and showcase how one practice has successfully built a safe, welcoming environment for patients with disabilities. Each session features a case presentation and opportunities for all participants to share insight.
ADA CERP credit will be available for attendees. Register for the Accessible Oral Health series here.

The webinar series is supported through an ARPA grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Division of Health Care Finance.

 

Abstract Submissions for the National Oral Health Conference

The National Oral Health Conference (NOHC) is an annual meeting that brings together the dental public health community to learn more about dental public health. The 2026 conference will be held in Oklahoma City on April 13-15. The NOHC planning committee has extended the Abstract Submissions for the 60- and 90-minute Seminars and Round Tables to Tuesday, September 30 at 10:45pm CST.

Deadline dates are now as follows:

• 60- and 90-minute sessions - September 30
• Roundtables - September 30
• General Posters - October 31, 2025
• Oral Presentations - October 31, 2025

• AAPHD Leverett Graduate Student Merit Awards - October 31, 2025
• AAPHD Predoctoral Dental Students Awards - October 31, 2025
• AAPHD Dental Hygiene Student Awards - October 31, 2025
• Weekend workshops

Before you begin your submissions, please read the Overview of Abstract Submissions and then review the appropriate Guidelines.
Questions? Please contact the NOHC Office at abstracts@nationaloralhealthconference.com.

 

 

Upcoming Events

• Course: An Introduction to Value-Based Care in Oral Health: Moving from Volume to Value, 1 CE. Click here for the course information.
• Self paced courses: Providing Oral Health Care to Autistic Individuals and Caring for Individuals with Disabilities: Practical Considerations for Dental Providers.
• Webinar: webinar series Making Medicaid Work For You. Register here for five sessions every Tuesday at 1:15pm until September 30.
• Webinar: Project Echo Series beginning September 4 - October 2, Building Confidence in Dental Teams to Serve People with Disabilities. Register here! CE's are available!
• Webinar: Older Adults and Oral Diseases: Benefits from Early Intervention, Emerging Technology and Minimally Invasive Dentistry, September 30, 7:00pm CST. Register here.
• Webinar: Take 60: The Value of Medicaid Adult Dental Benefits, September 30 at 2:00pm. Register here.
• Community Care Network of Kansas annual conference, September 24-26 at the Marriott Kansas City Overland Park Hotel, in Overland Park, Kansas.
• The Conference on Oral Health will be held Friday, November 7 at the KU Edwards Campus. Click here for updates on the conference.
• SPEAK Up! (Self-Advocates Promoting Empowerment and Access in Kansas) conference on Saturday, November 8. Click here for information.

 

 

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Concorde Career College Kansas City is delivering no-cost pediatric dental cleanings to children in Kansas City! Pediatric Smiles Day will be held on October 13. The event is open to the public and available to children ages 4-17 at no cost to family, with appointments available noon to 6 p.m.

Concorde students, under the supervision of licensed dental professionals, will provide X-rays, dental cleanings, dental exams, fluoride applications, sealants, and oral hygiene instructions to help brighten lives with brighter smiles.

The number of cleaning appointments are limited, and pre-registration is required. Click here for more information: concorde.fyi/KC-Smile

 

 

Sugary Drink Display

We have Adult and Children's Sugary Drink Display's available for reservations. These displays are eye catching at exhibits, schools, library, dental offices, clinics and just about anywhere you see them! We only have a limited amount so please sign up soon if you're interested in reserving one. Click here to learn more about sugary drink display reservations!