About Us
Purpose
The purpose of the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) at Georgetown University, is to respond to the needs of professionals working in states and communities, with the goal of improving oral health care for pregnant women, infants, children, and adolescents, including those with special health care needs, and their families (the maternal and child health (MCH) population). OHRC serves the MCH population by supporting health professionals, program administrators, educators, and others working in or with MCH programs. OHRC was founded in 1996.
Contact
National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Staff
Ruth Barzel, M.A., is senior writer/editor at OHRC. She writes or co-writes and edits all resource center materials, including curricula, guides, guidelines, journal articles, and reports. She also assists individuals seeking permission to adapt or reproduce OHRC materials.
Talk to me about: Writing, editing, health literacy, plain language, copyright permissions
Katy Battani, R.D.H., M.S., is a project manager at OHRC for the Integrating Oral Health Care and Primary Care Learning Collaborative. She coordinates activities and provides technical assistance and training to project teams. She also assists in the development of educational materials for health professionals and consumers.
Talk to me about: Learning collaboratives, Head Start programs, integrating oral health care into primary care, prenatal oral health, school-based oral health programs
Katrina Holt, M.P.H., M.S., R.D., FAND, is project director at OHRC. She provides administrative, financial, and strategic leadership and program and staff direction for OHRC’s federally funded projects. She also provides technical assistance to state and jurisdiction oral health programs and develops educational materials for health professionals and consumers.
Talk to me about: Educational materials, Head Start programs, national performance measure 13 (oral health), OHRC capabilities, project management, Title V programs
Sarah Kolo is a communication specialist at OHRC and project manager for the Integrating Oral Health Care and Primary Care Learning Collaborative. She manages the development of websites and online resources and assists the director in project planning, evaluation, and reporting. She serves as liaison for several external partner activities and strives to connect people with solutions.
Talk to me about: Information requests, learning collaboratives, OHRC capabilities, online resources (including distance learning, e-mail lists, newsletters), partnerships, website
Susan Lorenzo, M.L.S., is a project manager and librarian at OHRC. She coordinates activities for and provides technical assistance to the Networks for Oral Health Integration Within the Maternal and Child Health Safety Net learning collaborative and to state and jurisdiction oral health programs. She also assists in the development and maintenance of the OHRC library collection.
Talk to me about: Educational materials for health professionals and consumers, integrating oral health care into primary care, learning collaboratives
Beth Lowe, B.S.D.H., M.P.H., is a health education specialist at OHRC. She develops educational materials for health professionals, Head Start staff, and consumers. She also responds to information requests, conducts training, and utilizes social media to promote the importance of optimal oral health.
Talk to me about: Head Start programs, oral health promotion and oral disease prevention, interprofessional collaboration, online learning, translating research to practice, social media.
Projects and Funding
Consortium for Oral Health Systems Integration and Improvement (COHSII)
COHSII works with key stakeholders to improve systems of care in support of a quality improvement, patient-centered approach to addresses the oral health needs of the MCH population. COHSII is led by OHRC working in collaboration with the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and the Dental Quality Alliance. COHSII is supported by the Health and Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an annual award totaling $1,321,950 with no funding from nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, or endorsement by, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety (NCHBHS)
The NCHBHS consortium provides education, technical assistance, and
training to the Head Start community. OHRC is the lead on oral health
activities and is working in collaboration with ASTDD. NCHBHS oral
health activities also include supporting the dental hygienist liaison
project, which serves as a communication link between NCHBHS and Head
Start. NCHBHS oral health activities are supported by the Office of
Head Start, Administration for Children & Families, under cooperative
agreement #90HC000022. The amount of funding for oral health
activities is $2,450,000 over 5 years.
Other recent projects include
- Healthy Futures: Engaging Oral Health Professionals in Efforts to Reduce Childhood Obesity
- Maryland Mighty Tooth School Based Dental Sealant Training Program
- Maryland's Mouths Matter: Fluoride Varnish and Oral Health Screening Program for Kids—Training for EPSDT Medical Providers in Maryland
- National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness
OHRC Recognized as Healthy People 2030 Champion
OHRC is pleased to be recognized by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a Healthy People 2030 Champion, having demonstrated a commitment to helping achieve the Healthy People 2030 vision of a society in which all people can achieve their full potential for health and well-being across the lifespan.
Awards
In 2022, OHRC was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. Learn more about OHRC's numerous awards in recognition for high-quality services.
OHRC
Website Badge
OHRC has designed a badge that can be placed on your website as a gateway to our website. Get the code to embed this badge on your website.
Copyright and Permissions
OHRC offers information on copyright and permissions on our Disclaimers, Copyright, and Permissions page. OHRC publications, such as fact sheets, resource bulletins, and resource guides, may be photocopied; adapting or reproducing OHRC-produced materials requires permission. To request permission you must submit a written request (click here for a sample letter in Word or PDF) on your organization's letterhead. Permission to use photographs cannot be granted.
FAQs
Read answers to common questions including those related to copyright, how to use our website and other services, and obtaining publications.