Pathways to Oral Health: A New Tool to Empower Your Dental Journey

Maintaining good oral health is essential for overall wellness, yet for many Kansans, the path to consistent and accessible dental care can feel complicated. Whether you're managing your own care or helping a loved one navigate theirs, having a clear roadmap makes all the difference. That’s why Pathways to Oral Health—a Kansas-based initiative committed to making dental care more accessible—developed a powerful new resource: My Dental Care Passport.

This free, easy-to-use tool is designed to help individuals and families track dental care, build confidence at appointments, and take ownership of their oral health, all with compassion and clarity.

Why Oral Health Matters

Oral health is deeply connected to whole-body health. Poor dental care can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy complications, and more. Yet across Kansas, many individuals face barriers to accessing consistent care: limited insurance coverage, lack of transportation, fear of the dentist, or simply not knowing where to start.

Pathways to Oral Health is tackling these barriers head-on, working with community health centers, providers, and families to make dental care more approachable, more personalized, and more empowering.

Meet “My Dental Care Passport”

Just like a travel passport helps track your journeys, My Dental Care Passport helps you and your care team track progress on your dental health journey. The passport is a physical booklet or printable PDF that patients bring with them to dental appointments. It includes space to document visits, goals, medications, and follow-up needs, and it’s designed in plain language with visual cues to make it accessible to all ages and literacy levels.

This isn’t just a form, it’s a communication tool. It helps patients feel prepared and confident at appointments and gives providers insights into what matters most to their patients. And for caregivers—whether you're a parent, a sibling, or a support worker—it’s a simple, organized way to keep track of everything.

“It gave us something to hold onto to take from one appointment to the next. It helped my son remember what to expect and helped me feel like I could advocate for him better.”
— Recent Caregiver Testimony

What’s Inside the Passport?

• My Dental Team – A place to record your dentist’s contact info and provider team

• My Dental Goals – A spot to set personalized goals for oral health

• My Appointments – Easy tracking of visits, recommendations, and follow-ups

• My Feelings – Prompts to talk about dental anxiety or special accommodations

• My Medications and Conditions – A page to list relevant health info

Available in both English and Spanish, the Passport is tailored for use across a wide range of needs, from children in school dental programs to older adults navigating complex care.

Who Is It For?

This resource is for anyone who wants to feel more in control of their dental care. But it’s especially helpful for:

• Individuals with disabilities or sensory sensitivities

• People with dental anxiety

• Caregivers supporting someone else’s care

• Parents helping children build positive dental habits

• Patients receiving care through community health centers or mobile dental clinics

It also supports providers in building stronger, more collaborative relationships with patients. By bridging the communication gap, the Passport ensures everyone is working from the same page, literally.

How to Get One

Download My Dental Care Passport for free at pathwaystooralhealth.org/my-dental-care-passport. You can print it at home, or ask your local health center if they have copies available. Community health centers across Kansas are encouraged to share this tool with their patients and incorporate it into care coordination efforts.

Building a Healthier Future, One Smile at a Time

When we equip people with the tools they need, we empower them to take charge of their health. My Dental Care Passport is a small booklet, but its impact can be big. It’s a reminder that your oral health matters, your voice matters, and you don’t have to walk the path alone.

At Community Care Network of Kansas and through initiatives like Pathways to Oral Health, we’re proud to support practical, people-first solutions that make care more accessible and meaningful. Whether you’re a patient, a parent, or a provider, we invite you to explore the Passport and share it with someone who could benefit.

Because better oral health isn’t just a destination, it’s a journey. And the path forward is clearer than ever.