Maryland Department of Health
Oral Health

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Collaborative to Improve Children's Oral Health Through School Based Programs

​Overview

The Maryland Collaborative to Improve Children’s Oral Health Through School-Based Programs (The Collaborative) was created by the Maryland General Assembly in 2025 (Ho​use Bill 1143, Chapter 753). The Collaborative brings together state and local leaders, health professionals, and education partners to study existing school-based programs and make recommendations to improve dental care for Maryland children through school-based programs.​


Collaborative Responsibilities​

Under its enabling legislation, the Collaborative is responsible to study and make recommendations to improve the oral health of children in the State through school–based dental programs by analyzing the impact of:
  • supporting schools and community dental partners in linking families and children to permanent dental facilities;
  • increasing the number of dental hygienists providing school–based services through policy initiatives, including grant support for services for uninsured children and Medicaid reimbursement of dental hygienists who render dental services;​
  • authorizing school nurses to provide fluoride varnishes among other clinically appropriate services by modifying school health guidelines and providing reimbursement through the Maryland Medical Assistance Program; 
  • expanding the capacity of school–based health centers to provide dental services; 
  • clarifying the law governing the practice of dental hygienists in school settings to reduce confusion among practitioners and school–based programs; and 
  • other innovative models for providing dental services to children in schools.​

Collaborative Membership

​​Collaborative Role
​Collaborative Member Name​
​Member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate​​Vacant​
​Member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate
​Vacant
​Member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House
​Del. Heather Bagnall
​​Member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House​​
​Del. Teresa Woorman
MDH Secretary of Health Designee
​Jamie Perry, MD, MPH
​MSDE Secretary of Education Designee
​Walter Sallee
​Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services' Designee
​Debony Hughes, PhD
​Maryland Community Health Resources Commission Designee
​Robbie Miles-Loker
Maryland Medical Assistance Programs​ ​Representative
​Linda Rittelman, MHA, MBA
​Maryland Association of School Health Nurses Representative
​Traci Jones, Ph.D, MS, RN, PCE, NCSN
​ Maryland Assembly of School-Based Health Care Representative
​Sarah Czyz

​Maryland Dental Action Coalition Representative
​Arin Hanson, MPH
​Maryland Dental Hygienists Association Representative
​Dannia Chavis​
​Maryland Dental Association Representative
​Thirvanamalali Sivakumar, DDS
​Maryland Dental Society Representative
​Tracy King
​State Board of Dental Examiners Representative
​Deborah Cartee
​Representative of a federally qualified health center that manages a school-based dental program
​Sandra Garbely-Kerkovich
​Maryland Boards of Education Representative 
​Rodney Glotfelty
​Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland Representative
​Jymil Thompson
​National Maternal and Child Health Resource Center Representative
​Katy Battani​


Collaborative Meetings

  • ​Meeting #1: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 11:00 am- 12:30 pm
  • Meeting #2: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 3:00 pm- 4:30 pm
    • Agenda,
  • Meeting #3:​ Thursday, December 11, 2025, 2:00 pm- 3:30 pm




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​Contact Us

201 West Preston Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Kate Natafgi


Next Council Meeting:
December 11​, 2025, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.​​
Virtual​ Meeting


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https://meet.google.com/xpr-cjry-rfx
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 413-693-2753

PIN: ‪411 254 044‬#


Agenda 


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