Mission:

To promote optimal oral health for the residents of the State of Hawai`i through the development of public policy which helps assure adequate access to basic dental care and through the development and implementation of early detection, disease prevention and treatment programs targeting high risk populations.

Who we serve and how the objectives are met:

The Dental Hygiene Branch carries out the following activities:

• Develops, produces, provides and maintains culturally and age appropriate dental health promotion and education materials and programs and teaching curricula addressing the needs of Hawai`i's populations at highest risk for severe, chronic dental disease.
  
  
• Provides targeted school-based dental health assessment, evaluation, referral and follow-up programs. Maintains a monitoring and follow-up system to help assure that children in need of dental treatment and disease prevention services gain access to care.
  
  
• Provides classroom-based oral health and hygiene training for pre-school and elementary schools in rural and other highest risk areas as well as other communities as time permits.
  
  
• Conducts periodic dental health status surveys, both Statewide and targeting specific communities.
  
  
• Assists communities in the evaluation of service needs, strategic planning and the development of (local and targeted) dental health programs around the State.
  
  
• Participates in community-based health fairs and health promotional events which target Hawai`i's highest needs populations, such as Hawai`i's Head Start, Native Hawaiian, and immigrant populations.
  
  
• Provides clinical faculty support for training programs associated with the University of Hawai`i School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene.
  
  
• Provides technical assistance, consultative and in-service training services to other State programs and private agencies, including programs dealing with mental health, developmentally disabled or delayed clients, frail elderly and early childhood.
  
  
• Provides dental evaluation and case management services for patients receiving dental services from the Department. Works in concert with the Hospital and Community Dental Services Branch in assuring that qualified persons are assisted in a timely and coordinated manner.