ASTDD Best Practices Project defines “best practice” as a service, function, or process that has been fine-tuned, improved and implemented to produce superior results that demonstrate impact/effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and collaboration/integration. A best practice can be a service, function or process that a state/territory/community oral health program leads, administers, partners, facilitates and/or supports through collaboration with national, state and local stakeholders.
For the purposes of the ASTDD Best Practices Project, a Best Practice
Approach is defined as a public health strategy that is supported by evidence for its impact and effectiveness. Evidence includes research, expert opinion, field lessons, and theoretical rationale. For each Best Practice Approach analyzed and reported on the ASTDD website, varying strength of evidence is observed. http://www.astdd.org/evidence-supporting-best-practice-approaches/
Covers a specific topic; contains Descriptive Reports from states, territories and community oral health programs; posted on ASTDD website as a resource; http://www.astdd.org/best-practice-approach-reports/
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The practice has demonstrated impact, applicability, and benefits to the oral health care and well-being of certain populations or communities with reference to scientific evidence and/or documented outcomes of the practice.
The practice has demonstrated cost and resource efficiency where expenses are appropriate benefits. This includes staffing and time requirements that are realistic and reasonable.
The practice shows sustainable benefits and/or is sustainable within populations/communities and between states/territories.
The practice builds effective partnerships among various organizations and integrates oral health with other health projects and issues.
The practice addresses Healthy People 2020 objectives, responds to the
Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health, and/or builds basic infrastructure and capacity for state/territorial/community oral health programs.
Starts as a State Activity Submission (SAS). Is a much more in-depth description about the project, activity or function outlined in the SAS. There is a specific format outlined in the Descriptive Report Form. The form is not available on the ASTDD website as these are only requested for inclusion in a BPAR.
A State Activity Submission (SAS) may be submitted by a state, territory or community health program. There is a rubric attached to the form that guides you through the type of information to include. The rubric is based on the Best Practice Criteria. Your program may submit a
“success story” at any time. The submission form is found on the ASTDD Best Practices website: http://www.astdd.org/call-for-practice-submission-instructions/
The collection of submissions may be found on the ASTDD Best Practices website: http://www.astdd.org/state-activities/ Submissions may be searched by state or topic
For questions regarding the Best Practices Project contact Lori Cofano: lkcofano@gmail.com
NOHC ASTDD Business Meeting – April 2013