Between October 18–21, this website will move to a new web address (from health.gov to odphp.health.gov). During that time, some functions might not work as expected. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we’re working to make this transition as smooth as possible.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Public Policy Development

“I want to improve oral health in my community by making it easier for people to access dental care.”

Creating actionable policies at the local, tribal, territorial, state, or federal level is critical to kickstarting positive change. This example illustrates how a policymaker can leverage Evidence-Based Resources (EBRs) when drafting a policy to expand access to dental services for populations that are underserved.

1. Identify the need.

What is the public health problem you’re trying to solve? For example: “A large percentage of people in my community struggle to access oral health care services, like an annual dental exam.”

2. See how the need aligns with national goals.

Implementing policies can go a long way toward achieving Healthy People 2030 objectives. Check out all of the Oral Conditions objectives to find the ones that are most relevant to your work.

3. Explore EBRs related to your goals.

From an objective’s overview page, find related EBRs by choosing the Evidence-Based Resources tab in the left-hand navigation menu. Look for EBRs that will help you draft a policy for expanding access to dental care — like Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations.

4. Engage with community partners and ask for feedback.

Policy change is a multiphase process that requires buy-in from many individuals and organizations — like local leaders, community organizations, health care providers, patients, and consumer and patient advocates. Reaching out to them during the drafting process helps you better understand how social determinants of health affect different communities and informs the direction of the policy. Getting community input also improves the chances of the policy being approved and implemented.

5. Finalize the policy language.

Based on your research and community discussions, finalize your planned approach. Cite the EBRs you’ve referenced to add foundational credibility to your proposed policy.

6. Submit the policy.

Bring your finalized plan to the body that’s responsible for approving it. Getting approval can take time — but ultimately, policy change can have a major positive impact on population health.

7. Evaluate progress.

If your policy is approved, make sure to track progress — you can even benchmark progress by using Healthy People 2030 objective data. In addition, many EBRs include information about setting up an effective evaluation plan. And with Healthy People 2030 population data, you can track disparities across populations — and work to reduce those disparities in your community.