Nebraska does not currently have an active oral health surveillance system. An oral health objective within HP2020 is for all states to have oral health surveillance systems in action. According to the proposed new operational definition of HP2020 OH-16, ten essential indicators are suggested to be tracked in state-based oral health surveillance systems. At least eight of these indicators are needed for the system to be reliable. In 2014, Nebraska could monitor seven of the ten essential indicators, leaving three indicators that are not currently available. A list of these seven indicators can be found in the 2016 Nebraska State Oral Health Assessment.

A state survey, as recommended to be completed every five years by the National Oral Health Surveillance System (NOHSS) was conducted in Nebraska in 2005 to establish a baseline to track dental disease trends. This visual survey was a Basic Screening Survey (BSS) of third grade students across the state. In that baseline survey conducted by the OOHD, 2,057 third graders in 55 elementary schools across the state were visually screened. The data from the 2005 survey is now outdated and needs to be updated. In 20156 there were approximately 25,000 3^rd grade students in 502 schools in Nebraska. The OOHD is in the process of duplicating this BSS survey by sampling approximately 6,000 children in about 75 public and private schools across the state (with oversamples in Omaha and western Nebraska). 800 children in Head Start programs will also be included in this survey. Results will allow us to analyze current trends and compare new data to our 2005 baseline.

The Office of Oral Health also desires to conduct an older adult (65+) basic screening survey in the near future in order to align with Association of State & Territorial Dental Directors state requirements.