Publications by authors named "Lorenz Finison"

Objectives: The Central Massachusetts Oral Health Initiative (CMOHI) aimed to improve access to quality oral health care in central Massachusetts.

Methods: A broad-based public and private organization partnership with local and national funding created a steering committee to organize school administrators, community leaders, and a medical school to collaborate on five goals: advocate for changes in oral health policy, increase oral health care access, provide school-based dental services for underserved children, establish a Dental General Practice Residency, and educate medical professionals about oral health.

Results: A state legislative Oral Health Caucus helped secure sought-after policy improvements; more regional dentists now accept Medicaid; community health center capacity to provide dental services was expanded; school-based programs were designed and delivered needed dental services; a dental residency was created; and methods of educating medical professionals were established.

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Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a community-based HIV/AIDS peer leadership prevention program on newly enrolled peer leaders and youth enrolled as peer educators for one or more years (repeat peer leaders).

Methods: Quasi-experimental nonrandomized design with two intervention groups (newly enrolled and repeat peer leaders) and one comparison group. The sample consisted of 235 adolescents, 164 peer leaders, and 71 comparison youth, drawn from nine communities in Massachusetts.

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