Oral Health Champion Awards
Oral Health Champion Awardees are selected by the Board, upon recommendation of the Conference Committee. Nominations are based on significant state-level work on oral health policy and contributing to improving Missouri's oral health or contributing to making oral health and oral health policy a priority for policy-makers and the Missouri public.
Amanda Fahrendorf is the Education and Collaboration Manager located in the Department of Social Services (DSS), MO HealthNet Division (MHD), Education and Training Unit. During her 21 years of tenure with DSS, she has worked for Child Support Enforcement, Children's Division, and MHD. She has provided education and training to MHD providers, participants and staff for the last 9 years.
Amanda has spoken with many groups about changes in MO HealthNet policies. She has used these opportunities to build strong relationships with our providers and sister agencies to streamline processes to serve our providers and participants better. She provides training and interpretation of MHD policy, program limitations and benefits, and proper billing procedures.
Amanda also oversees the MHD Education and Training resources for all programs, creates and presents additional trainings as requested, handles special assignments, provider recruitment, and serves as the expert for any complicated Medicaid inquiries referred to Education and Training. She also serves on several committees and workgroups related to Maternal and Infant Health initiatives, provider recruitment, and access to care.
Amanda graduated in 2009, from William Woods University, Adult Studies Program with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and is currently working on a Master's of Public Health from A.T. Still University.
Roger Sullivan was born and raised on a working cattle farm in Carroll County Missouri. After high school, he attended Midwest Business School for Accounting where he graduated with his accounting degrees. Roger has been employed as a factory worker, carpenter, plumber, truck mechanic, coal miner, truck driver and for the last 30 plus years he has worked in the water and wastewater industry. He has a Class A water certificate, a Class B wastewater certificate, and a DS III Distribution certificate.
The Office of Dental Health (ODH) is housed within the Department of Health & Senior Services, Division of Community & Public Health. The Office of Dental Health team is committed to improving the oral health of all Missourians through several public health programs. The programs focus on the strategies of education and promotion of oral health. These programs include surveillance and assessment, oral health education for all ages, advancement of community water fluoridation, operation of a community-based decay-preventive program for children, promotion of dental sealants, and development of programs to ease the burden of dental workforce shortages. The Office of Dental Health works with many community partners to best serve the needs of all Missourians. To learn more about the Office of Dental Health and it’s different programs please visit Oral Health | Health & Senior Services (mo.gov)