Oral Health Integration in Pediatrics Boosts Revenue

Introduction

Kaniksu Community Health serves two rural counties with a full spectrum of services, including pediatrics and dental. In 2022, the health center launched an Oral Health Integration (OHI) initiative to connect dental care with pediatric Well Child Checks (WCC) in real time. 

With Stat in place, Kaniksu built a real-time workflow that deploys dental hygienists during well child visits—making use of alone time, integrating education and fluoride treatments, and establishing a dental home for patients.

Challenges

Prior to implementing Stat, Kaniksu Community Health’s efforts to integrate pediatric and dental care faced obstacles that limited access, efficiency, and revenue:

1. Underserved Pediatric Populations at Risk
   Pediatric patients are a vulnerable population and many children lack a consistent dental home. Families with poor prior dental experiences often delayed care until problems were severe—missing the window for prevention and education.
   
   
2. High No-Show Rates in Hygiene Appointments
   Frequent cancellations in the hygiene schedule led to idle clinical time and lost productivity.
   
   
3. Missed Opportunities for Patient Onboarding
   Despite physical co-location, many families didn’t realize dental services were on-site. 

Project Goals

Kanisku leadership set goals to evaluate the success of the OHI initiative. 

1. 45 News Dental Patients
   Establishing a dental home for pediatric patients in their community.
2. Increase Dental Education and Prevention
   Providing touch points, preventative fluoride treatments, and detecting problems early.
   
   
3. Reduce No-Show Impacts
   Eliminate wasted time and effort for the dental department that occurs during a no-show.

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Solutions

To close the care gap and optimize staffing, Kaniksu launched its OHI initiative using Stat’s real-time workflow tools. Their solution centered around three core strategies:

1. Real-Time Pediatric-to-Dental Integration via Stat
   After the MA completes pediatric intake during a WCC, they tap Stat’s OHI icon to instantly alert hygienists. This creates a 5–7 minute touchpoint during alone time where hygienists enter the room, review the Dental Health Assessment (DHA), provide fluoride (if needed), offer oral hygiene education, and confirm whether the child has a dental home.
   
   
2. Smart Scheduling and Staff Coordination
   Kaniksu restructured its hygiene staffing templates. For half the shift, one hygienist has a lighter appointment schedule to increase availability for same-day OHI visits. The team uses reports to anticipate pediatric volume and adjust staff coverage accordingly.
   
   
3. Full-Circle Care and Onboarding at the Point of Care
   By embedding dental care into the pediatric workflow, Kaniksu was able to introduce services, answer parent questions, and even book dental appointments on the spot—eliminating the need for referrals or separate visits.
   
   

"Stat allowed us to run this entire project with minimal disruption, high engagement, and clear communication—it was the glue that held it together." Hannah Cook, Quality Manager & Assistant Dental Director

The Results

Kaniksu saw significant operational, clinical, and financial gains from its Stat powered OHI initiative:

• 450 new dental patients established since launch
  
  
• $199K revenue increase from fluoride treatments
  
  
• $63K revenue increase from newly onboarded dental patients
  
  
• 1,800 fluoride treatments delivered through in-room interventions
  

• 1,600 education-only touch points provided—non-billable but high-impact
  
  
• Reduced no-show impact by using hygiene downtime for OHI visits
  
  
• Improved dual-scheduling between pediatric and dental teams
  
  

Takeaway

With Stat, Kaniksu turned wait times into dental engagement. The result? Better access, increased revenue, stronger relationships—and hundreds of children with a dental home that started right in the pediatric exam room.

Build Dental Homes While They Wait, Stat.

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