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Our Timeline

Successfully advocated for

  • Public Act No. 21-149, allowing 19 to 26-year-olds to remain on their family’s dental insurance plans, helping thousands of young people in Connecticut maintain continuity of care

  • and Dental Coverage included in the Covered CT program.

2021

2022

  • Secured a 25% increase in adult rates for all dental services and an additional increase for endodontic services (the first adult dental rate increase since 2008, effective July 1 2022)

  • Second annual cleaning authorized for adults on Medicaid who have certain medical conditions

  • Received American Rescue Plan Act funds in the State budget for oral health access and equity initiatives

  • Partial Restoration of Medicaid expansion for HUSKY A parents up to 160% of Federal Poverty Level

  • Dental Therapy authorized and COHI participated in Dental Therapy Workgroup, per enacted statute.

2019

2020

  • Added Licensed Dentists to the list of telehealth providers.

  • Cultural competency continuing education for dental hygienists statute enacted.

2017

2018

  • Enactment of Oral Health Assessments for school children. 

  • Expanded definition of public health settings for dental hygienists. 

  • Restoration of Medicaid expansion eligibility.

  • Oral health factors accepted as Core Areas of Emphasis in SIM Advanced Medical Home.

  • Oral health objectives accepted as 2016 priorities in Healthy CT 2020.

2015

2016

  • Oral Health integrated in the Community & Clinical Integration Plan and Quality Measures in Connecticut’s State Innovative Mode.

  • Community Water Fluoridation statue enacted with US HHS recommendation for optimal fluoride level in water.

2013

  • Child dental coverage embedded in the Qualified Health Plans of Access Health CT.

2008

  • Recruitment of dentists to provide dental services to HUSKY patients, after the settlement of a class action lawsuit (Carr vs. Wilson-Coker)

2005

  • Enactment of Oral Health Access Bill

  • Establishment of the State Office of Oral Public Health within the Department of Public Health.

  • Carr v. Wilson-Coker lawsuit settled to improving access to oral health care for children enrolled in HUSKY.

2003

  • COHI certified as a 501(c)(3) organization.

2002

  • COHI established and incorporated with funding from the Connecticut Health Foundation to further oral health issues through advocacy efforts.  

2001

  • COHI was founded in 2000-2001 as an outgrowth of a Connecticut State Dental Association committee.

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