The Oral Health 2014 Initiative

By Ralph Fuccillo, President, DentaQuest Foundation

On June 29, the DentaQuest Foundation launched the Oral Health 2014 initiative and opened the RFP. This is the biggest investment to date by the DentaQuest Foundation-- a multi-year commitment to strengthen and accelerate state, regional, and community action on behalf of better oral health. You can view the RFP on our website: www.dentaquestfoundation.org.

Our mission is to support and promote optimal oral health. To do that, we are directing our leadership and investments to oral health improvement at the national, state and local levels. These investments are strategic, multi-layered, and focused on improving systems– that is the systems that provide and finance care, enhance public policy, and help communities build and navigate available resources for better oral health.

Our Oral Health 2014 initiative supports that strategy. We are encouraging applicants to think outside-of-the-box, to engage a broad range of stakeholders – expected and unexpected, and to lead them in effectively developing a plan for change. We will be watching for the local impact of Oral Health 2014 grantee activities on the essential systems of Policy, Funding, Care, and Community throughout the life of the initiative.

The Oral Health 2014 initiative complements and supports the newly formed U.S. National Oral Health Alliance (Alliance) with engaged local partners across the United States. The DentaQuest Foundation is excited by the opportunities created by this Alliance to encourage cross-sector collaboration and involve many partners in solutions that meet the oral health needs of underserved children and adults in our communities. The Oral Health 2014 Initiative supports this work.

For more information about Oral Health 2014 and eligibility, contact Patrick Finnerty, Senior Advisor, State Oral Health Programs, pat.finnerty@dentaquestfoundation.org

For more information on the application process, contact Brenda Lavasta, Programs and Grants Associate, 617.886.1760, brenda.lavasta@dentaquestfoundation.org

Important Dates and Deadlines

• July 7, 2011 Informational conference call Q&A for potential applicants. Email Brenda Lavasta to join.
• July 22, 2011 (3 p.m. EST) Deadline for receipt of Letters of Intent (LOI).
• August 10, 2011 Applicants notified if invited to submit a full proposal for Planning Phase.
• September 9, 2011 (3 p.m. EST) Deadline for proposals for Planning Grant.
• October 14, 2011 Applicants notified of award decisions for Planning Grant.
• November 9-10, 2011 Grantee Gathering.