Organizations interested in advancing oral health equity typically have a clear vision for their desired impact, yet may not have a precise notion of the steps necessary to achieve their goals. Logic models offer a valuable tool for anticipating the activities, resources, and partnerships necessary to improve the equity of oral health programs.

This user’s guide, made possible by the DentaQuest Foundation, outlines a stepwise approach to completing a logic model for oral health equity work. Each section is dedicated to one component of the logic model, including examples and considerations for each step.

The guide was produced as part of the Advancing Oral Health Equity learning collaborative, which helped oral health stakeholders — including state coalitions, community-based organizations, state agencies, policy analysts, researchers, and others — examine the impact their programs have on oral health equity. Example logic models from collaborative participants are also available here to illustrate ways to use logic models to advance oral health equity.