A major goal of federal, state, and local health agencies is to reduce the burden of disease in populations. To obtain sufficient resources to achieve this goal, they must document the importance of the health problems addressed and the impact and efficiency of programs. CDC supports core activities within state and local health departments to promote health and prevent disease. This presentation will focus on the need for evidence to document the effectiveness of these activities that include routine monitoring of oral health, risk behaviors, and other factors; implementing effective population-based interventions; and evaluating programs to ensure successful translation of interventions. CDC supports research to build the evidence for innovative strategies to promote oral health in communities. This presentation should increase awareness of evidence-based tools and activities that are supported by CDC to strengthen public health practice within states.