Dental Provider Resources

The Oral Health Improvement Program (OHIP) works with various partners across the State to identify the oral health needs of Texans and the resources to meet those needs.

Regional Dental Teams are located in Austin, Lubbock, Tyler, Houston, San Antonio, and El Paso. These dental public health professionals provide preventive dental services to eligible low-income, underserved, pre-school, and school-aged children who are Texas residents.

Resources

• The American Dental Association (ADA) is a provider resource for continuing education courses, clinical resources and publications about oral health.
• The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a nonprofit organization of women’s health care physicians.
• The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) is a national non-profit organization representing the directors and staff of state public health agency programs regarding oral health. They provide consulting, best practices and guidelines for many public health activities.   
• Mouth Healthy, founded by the American Dental Association, provides nutrition and oral health information for all ages. 
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Oral Health Division provides current information on oral health, community water fluoridation, dental sealants, oral health data and more.
• The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center provides oral health information and resources for patients and providers. The Oral Health Care During Pregnancy: A National Consensus Statement is an important resource for providers regarding the oral health of pregnant women.
• Smiles for Life courses discuss core oral health topics relevant to health professionals. However, anyone can access them to learn more about oral health.
• Preventing Dental Caries Through School-Based Sealant Programs reported recommendations for dental sealant use in school-based sealant programs.   
• Evidence-based clinical practice guideline on nonrestorative treatments for carious lesions includes clinical recommendations from the American Dental Association. 

Texas-specific links

• Texas Dental Association
• Texas Dental Hygienists' Association
• Texas State Board of Dental Examiners
• Texas Oral Health Coalition

External links to other sites are intended to be informational and do not have the endorsement of the Texas Department of State Health Services. These sites may not be accessible to people with disabilities.

Last reviewed and updated: May 14, 2024