Training community health workers to improve oral health outreach for low-income Black families
Official title: An online professional development course to train CHWs to provide oral health outreach to low-income Black guardians
Funded at Kdh Research and Communication, INC. · NIH-10896338 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating an online course to help community health workers learn how to better support low-income Black families with kids and teens in taking care of their teeth, especially to prevent tooth decay.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kdh Research and Communication, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 26, 2021 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $1,032,948 |
| NIH project number | 5R44MD016352-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10896338 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are low-income Black guardians of children and adolescents who may benefit from enhanced oral health outreach.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not belong to low-income Black families or do not have children or adolescents may not receive benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing an online course designed to train community health workers (CHWs) to effectively provide oral health outreach to low-income Black guardians of children and adolescents. The program, called Guardians Receiving Information through Navigators (GRIN), aims to enhance CHWs' knowledge and confidence in addressing oral health issues, particularly tooth decay, which disproportionately affects these communities. By equipping CHWs with culturally relevant information and skills, the initiative seeks to improve access to preventive dental care for children and adolescents in underserved populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved oral health outcomes for low-income Black children and adolescents by increasing access to preventive dental care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in training community health workers to improve health outcomes in underserved populations, indicating that this approach has potential.
Where this research is happening
-
Kdh Research and Communication, INC.
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cooper, Dexter L — Kdh Research and Communication, INC.
- Study coordinator: Cooper, Dexter L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Coordinated Oral Health Promotion for Chicago Kids
A long-running study in Chicago is following children and their caregivers to find ways to reduce tooth decay and improve daily life for families.
-
Digital adolescent dental health program to reduce tooth decay in at-risk youth
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-
Improving how schools deliver tooth care for kids using existing data
This project analyzes past school-based dental care data to help more underserved children get effective, affordable preventive treatment.
-
Host genetics and oral microbiome: big-data clues to oral health
A large study will combine human genetics, saliva bacteria, and health records to understand why oral diseases like cavities and gum disease occur in different people.
-
Understanding dry mouth in adults using AI to read electronic records
A new project uses AI to find adults with xerostomia in medical records and predict who will have worse oral health outcomes.
-
Oral health effects of buprenorphine and methadone in people with opioid use disorder
This project will explore how common MOUD medicines like buprenorphine (including dissolvable forms) and methadone may affect oral health in people with opioid use disorder.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.