DentaQuest Foundation grassroots grantees ready to leap for oral health

I recently heard the perfect analogy for our oral health advocacy during the DentaQuest Foundation’s Grassroots Engagement Strategy annual meeting. It’s a saying gardeners have about the growth process of perennials: “The first year they sleep, the second year they creep, then the third year they leap!”  This year is the year for the grassroots organizations and their partners to leap!

DentaQuest Foundation’s Grassroots Engagement Strategy started in March 2015 as an initiative to engage those most directly impacted by oral health inequities. Focused in six key states - Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia - the Grassroots Engagement Strategy leverages an existing network of key oral health advocates and stakeholders operating at the state level. The DentaQuest Foundation has funded 20 community-based organizations within these states to provide oral health outreach and take action on social justice and oral health equity, all with the goal of improving public perception of the value of oral health in their communities.

These 20 grantees represent deep and diverse experience working directly with community members and contribute essential perspectives of community advocacy and action. They are providing community-grounded voices within a broad group of stakeholders at the state, regional, and national levels, a perspective that is critical if we are to reach our mission of improving oral health for all.

The Grassroots Engagement Strategy has now entered its third year of development, and the purpose of the annual meeting this spring was for grantees to learn from one another about what has been accomplished in the last year, what is planned for the year ahead, and how to deepen the commitment to health equity.

On day one, each organization presented its community-driven plan that covered stakeholders, how they have incorporated the Oral Health 2020 goals into their communities, 2017 organizational priorities, their proudest moments, and their greatest challenges.

For example, one organization discussed advancing a legislative advocacy strategy around protecting oral health equity policies, while dealing with the major challenge that oral health is not a top priority for the community members facing other economic and social challenges.

On day two, many of the Oral Health 2020 national advocacy partners presented the resources and tools in development that will support the grassroots organizations in their work. Attendees also discussed how they can learn from one another and build their capacity to make change at the community level.

Additionally, there were presentations on different approaches to advocacy and lobbying, including how to provide empowerment opportunities for community members in advocacy and public policy.  Partners also discussed how they work collaboratively with other organizations to activate coalitions and networks that share common goals.

The underlying themes throughout the discussion:

• health equity 
• the link between oral health and other social determinants of health 
• the implications that these have 
• who  needs to be at the table  

Similar to previous years, the grassroots organizations returned home with a sense of rejuvenated momentum for oral health.   Words like “motivated,” “energized,” and “connected” were used by attendees format the close of the meeting.  With the political landscape changing, the role of grassroots organizations engaging in advocacy is even more critical at the local, state and national levels.

When community members are educated on the topic of oral health and have the passion and understanding of its impact, their voices are powerful.  

The Oral Health 2020 Network is excited to see the progress that will continue in these communities and beyond. The grassroots grantees are ready to “leap” into action for year three of the Grassroots Engagement Strategy!

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Guest post from DentaQuest Foundation's grants team member Liana DiRamio. Learn more about the grants and programs here: http://dentaquestfoundation.org/about/our-mission. 

Prioritizing Our Seniors: Why Offering Medicare Dental Coverage Matters

More than 46 million seniors lack dental coverage, according to a 2015 report on enrollment from the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) and Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA). And that number is only expected to rise with our burgeoning population of older adults.

In order to help more seniors get covered, U.S. federal policy must more effectively address the oral health needs of this population.

Recently, there have been several big news stories about the barriers 70 percent of seniors face to receive quality oral health care.

One major contributor is that dental care is not covered under Medicare. Boston College researchers found that the percentage of people with dental coverage declines by more than half in the 10 years after reaching retirement age -- from 62 percent at age 65 to 26 percent at 75. Why? According to CBS News, the study suggests the following...

The reason: When most workers retire, they lose the dental coverage provided by their employer or union. But doesn’t Medicare, which starts at age 65, step in and pick up the slack? Not on your canines, “a fact that a majority of baby boomers are unaware of…”

According to a recent survey of 2,000 registered U.S. voters conducted by DentaQuest via Morning Consult, this is not a partisan issue. In fact, 83 percent of Republicans and 86 percent of Democrats responded that dental coverage should be included in Medicare.

Without coverage, seniors face significant out-of-pocket costs to obtain appropriate oral health care, as they are more likely to need the most costly procedures, such as crowns, implants, or false teeth as they age. Seniors are also more likely to have chronic conditions that may complicate or exacerbate these oral health issues.

Because traditional Medicare does not provide dental coverage, Medicare Advantage plans are taking a lead in providing oral health coverage for seniors. In fact, DentaQuest partners with many of these plans because they recognize the importance of oral health to the overall health of older adults. However, these benefits are optional or supplemental and not all seniors can afford to pay out of pocket for this coverage.   

More affordable solutions are necessary to bridge this gap for our seniors.

With all of the discussion surrounding changes to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, policies to expand dental coverage have largely gone overlooked. However, DentaQuest has taken steps to begin addressing this gap.

A few weeks ago, the DentaQuest Foundation announced a $668,000 grant to Oral Health America to expand the Wisdom Tooth Project and increase advocacy for publicly funded dental coverage for seniors. This project focuses on five strategies including education for seniors and professionals and pilot demonstration projects to combat barriers to care. The DentaQuest Foundation has been pivotal in supporting Oral Health America’s efforts for older adult oral health since 2010.

As health care prepares to undergo substantial changes, industry stakeholders may support different proposals but our goal should remain the same. We echo AHIP’s comments that the industry must bond together “to ensure every American has access to affordable coverage and quality care so they can achieve their best health.”

Expanding access to health care, including oral health care, is a foundational pillar to achieve this goal.

We cannot leave our seniors behind.

Why are dentistry and oral health care practices seemingly easy to question?

The topic of evidence in dentistry and oral health care has been in the news a lot recently, with articles like this column in the New York Times by a professor of pediatrics.

In his column, Aaron Carroll discusses the differences he sees between his own and his wife’s dental journeys, as well as what little rigorous research has been done to support certain generally recommended dental practices.

What is interesting is that articles like this one and the popular flossing article from the Associated Press, among others, imply that recommendations made by dentists are based solely on limited or weak evidence – or worse, based simply on what the dentist will get paid for by an insurance company.

They also leave readers feeling that plaque removal and cavity prevention/treatment are the only elements necessary to address for good oral health.

Ultimately, Carroll suggests in his column that while lack of evidence doesn’t mean oral health prevention efforts don’t work, we should invest in research to ensure that those things we do are evidence-based.

For those of us in the business of improving oral health, we couldn’t agree more with that conclusion. But let’s take a closer look at some of the points that may have gone overlooked by recent press coverage.

We know that evidence something works for populations doesn’t directly translate into solutions for a specific individual – that is in fact why Carroll and his wife have such dramatically different dental journeys.

Carroll notes he has had just one filling in his life and doesn’t religiously care for his mouth, while his wife has “more fillings than [he] can count” but is fastidious in her oral care routines.

This underscores two important points:

1. Every person is different. Individualizing care is critical to improved oral health.

While evidence-based research informs standards of care, it is the dental team that must develop the best care plan for any given person’s situation. That is why DentaQuest invests in the development and adoption of evidence-based care protocols that focus on prevention, early intervention and disease management.

Our investments in disease management and risk assessment help provide dental teams with the knowledge and tools they need to best serve their patients.

For instance, across a five-year period, the DentaQuest Oral HealthCenter demonstrated that risk assessment and intense preventive efforts (including sealants and fluoride varnish) directly resulted in a reduction in the need for invasive surgical procedures.

Sealants are one of the most cost-effective strategies for protecting teeth, as noted in another recent New York Times column. This is because they provide a physical barrier against cavities. They can even be applied to teeth that are just starting to show signs of new cavities, and stop them from getting bigger.

The best time to seal a tooth is immediately after it erupts in the mouth, and so the DentaQuest Oral Health Center strives to set aside extra time at visits for children ages 6 and 11 since the permanent molars are usually erupting at that time. It is also why the DentaQuest Foundation collaborates so closely with school-based health alliances working to improve access to oral health care – and sealants – among children in grade school.

Additionally, with a patient population of over 10,000, the DentaQuest Oral Health Center works in collaboration with the DentaQuest Institute to refine strategies that make patients healthier. And when these best practices are implemented, they actively improve peoples’ health.

2. Prevention and oral health improvement do not take place solely in the dental chair.

Preventive dental visits provide an important opportunity for people to check in on their oral health habits and get evaluations for early signs of not just dental disease, but also chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

Most of us spend two hours a year in a dental office. And, if we are to reconsider the benefit of two annual preventive visits as Carroll suggests, some of us might end up spending even less time with a clinician. So what about the other 8,758 hours?

The differences in the oral health of Carroll and his wife are not because he brushes with an electric toothbrush every day or because she is doing something “wrong” in her routine. Oral health care is more than just brushing and flossing. In fact, it is about more than your teeth and gums.

To make an impact, we have to take a look at how we pay for oral health care, how our public policies enable it, and how our communities prioritize it, in addition to how we provide it.

Addressing just one of those will not improve oral health care on the larger scale or reduce health care costs, as Carroll aims to do with his recommendations. We know oral health care is indeed critical for overall health. This is why we at DentaQuest look far beyond the dental chair.

For example, as part of Oral Health 2020, the DentaQuest Foundation is investing in efforts to incorporate oral health into the primary education system. Oral health education, screenings, assisted referral, and delivery of preventive care through our schools provide equitable, reliable entry into long-term oral health care.

DentaQuest also champions efforts to include innovative financing models for dental in person-centered approaches to care enabled by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Over the last decade, we’ve seen significant movement to transform our health care system into one that improves quality, lowers costs, and makes people healthier. In fact, on the medical side the Triple Aim is starting to be supported by alternative payment and care delivery models that are person-centered and focus on prevention.

Why did that happen? Because experts and advocates knew there had to be a better way forward for a healthier America.

The same is true for oral health. We are beginning to see that it is possible to live in a world where optimal oral health is the expectation, not the exception. We must continue to invest the same transformative energy into improving the oral health of all because you cannot have optimal overall health without optimal oral health.

 

Oral Health Disparities between Men and Women

Did you know men are more likely to get oral cancer than women? Men are also more likely to skip dentist and doctor visits. For Men’s Health Month happening now, let’s raise awareness about these and other disparities.

Overall, more than 10 adults out of every 100,000 will develop oral cancer.

Oral cancer incidence among men is more than twice as high as among women in the United States. The same holds true when broken out by race for those who identified as white, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian or Pacific Islander.

However, prevalence among black men is more than three times as high as among black women. The disparity is similar among Hispanic men and women, too.

What’s more, oral cancer rates increase with age among both women and men. The increase becomes more rapid after age 50 and peaks between ages 60 and 70.

But diagnosing oral cancer at an early stage significantly increases five-year survival rates. Today, we are more aware of the importance of oral health and how to prevent disease thanks in large part to better education, greater access and advances in technology.

These factors have helped oral cancer survival rates steadily improve since 1975, though the disparity among white and black men has remained largely unchanged.

So what more can be done to reduce oral health disparities?

To start, efforts like those funded by the DentaQuest Foundation are designed to target prevention and collaboration in hyper-local ways.

One investment supports the Chicago Community Oral Health Forum to develop and expand school-based oral health education to students in the Chicago Public School system and the development of dental homes for students with urgent needs.

Another investment is supporting the University of Alabama as it implements a framework for interprofessional training that will produce health care practitioners in Alabama with a greater understanding of oral health and the ability to work in health teams to provide optimal care to their patients – from geriatrics to pediatrics.

These types of programs happening across the country target long-term improvements and sustainable changes for a variety of communities – from predominantly black public schools in Chicago to the elderly in Alabama.

The DentaQuest Institute, meanwhile, is expanding oral health care to rural parts of the country. Experts are working closely with local teams, helping providers develop evidence-based and financially-sound practices that ensure a continuum of care for regions that largely have been without regular access to dental care.

With dedication and support, these projects can ultimately change the trajectory of oral health disparities in America.

 

Engaging Grassroots with Grassmiddles to Facilitate Changes in Oral Health Equity

Why should grassroots and grassmiddles engage for oral health care? “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African proverb

It’s been a busy spring for our team as we just wrapped up six meetings in six states (in just three weeks!). During the months of April and May, DentaQuest Foundation convened partners in the six states of our Grassroots Engagement Initiative, which launched last year in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

The grassroots strategy aims to amplify the voice of those most impacted by oral health disparities –people who are living with tooth and mouth pain, limited access to dental services or affordable coverage, and other barriers to obtaining good oral health.

These meetings brought together those working at the state level (like oral health coalitions) – also known as the “grassmiddles” – with local-level community advocacy organizations – the “grassroots” groups.

DentaQuest Foundation’s grassmiddle partners have been working in oral health for many years and have a deep understanding of the policy environment in their states, often in addition to clinical knowledge or experience. Grassroots organizations, meanwhile, understand the needs of their communities and are experts at organizing and mobilizing community members to create change around issues like the environment, racial justice, jobs and more.

Why the Grassroots Engagement Initiative? Within it, these stakeholders learn from each other’s respective expertise. Together, they can take aligned action to improve oral health while also respecting and including the voices of those most impacted by oral health disparities.

These kinds of partnerships only serve to strengthen the effort of a larger national movement by getting everyone to agree on the priorities and join together where action is needed to improve oral health.

Illustrating the power of partnership

One of the Grassroots Engagement Initiative grantees in California is SCOPE (Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education) helped bring grassroots and grassmiddle partners to agreement on oral health change efforts.

SCOPE is a group that first emerged in the early ‘90s in the midst of the Los Angeles uprising following the Rodney King verdict. Staff from SCOPE facilitated what’s called “power mapping” at each of the six state meetings.

 “Power mapping” asks:

•  what are the major issues in a state (for example, in Arizona: lack of adult dental coverage in Medicaid, lack of access to quality oral health care in Native American and other poor communities, and a weak social safety net);
• who are the decision makers that could potentially influence those issues (for example, Governor Ducey and the Arizona legislature); and finally,
• who else might be potential allies or challengers.

Participants then map out where all of these factors and people stand on the issue. Finally, they strategize on what’s needed to shift these dynamics in a way that positively impacts oral health in the state. Ultimately, the resulting power map should be used to track progress by revisiting it periodically to see how opinions have shifted.

At each state meeting, SCOPE helped participants reach consensus on a draft power map to begin using and measuring against. The agreement resulted from peer-to-peer learning, as well as collaboration across grassmiddles and grassroots experience.

Why does this matter? How will oral health equity improve?

Power mapping can be an excellent complement to the state’s oral health plan, which is goal-oriented and shows where the state wants to go. In fact, the power map and community level actors can help inform how to get there – an element that is improved with grassroots and grassmiddles on the same page.

Ultimately, it’s crucial that efforts to create change are in line with one another when facing a problem as significant as poor oral health. These state meetings seek to encourage all of us to see ways in which we can work together, and bring our respective strengths to the table, as we work for a healthier America. 

Building a Movement for Optimal Oral Health

By Ralph Fuccillo, President, DentaQuest Foundation

According to a recent report from the Institute of Medicine, “Millions of Americans are not receiving needed dental care services because of "persistent and systemic" barriers that limit their access to oral health care. Nearly 5 million children went without regular dental checkups in 2008 because of financial limitations. 33.3 million Americans live in an area with a shortage of dental professionals.” Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations

Stories like this illustrate the need that drives the DentaQuest Foundation’s investments in oral health improvement at the national, state and local levels. Previously, I wrote about the DentaQuest Foundation’s support for the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance which is engaging national partners in oral health improvement goals.

People feel the pain of their inability to get needed services at the local level. So today, I am writing about the Oral Health 2014 Initiative. This new signature program of the DentaQuest Foundation is building a movement for oral health at the state and community level by supporting the work of state-based organizations that are developing effective community solutions.

When we announced the Oral Health 2014 initiative, we immediately saw a clear need and interest in community solutions for oral health across the United States. Over 200 program leaders from nearly every state joined in our Request for Proposals launch webinar in June. Seventy (70) organizations responded with their ideas. Thirty-six (36) were invited to submit a full proposal.

Today, Oral Health 2014 is taking root and moving forward in 20 states. I am enthusiastic about every one of these organizations. Each is working to build support for oral health solutions in their communities, engaging traditional and not-so-traditional partners. Oral Health 2014 is a multi-year initiative. The DentaQuest Foundation is committed to each organization’s success, providing financial and technical resources to help them move their projects forward.

This is an important moment for oral health. These 20 state organizations join the growing national movement of collaborative leaders who are aligned in their desire to address oral health disparities-- many hands working toward a common goal.

I extend the gratitude of the DentaQuest Foundation to the National Advisory Committee of leaders in community health, philanthropy, civic engagement, and members of the founding board of the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance. They provided guidance in the development of the program and the selection of grantees.

• Dr. Caswell Evans of the University of Illinois, DentaQuest Foundation Board of Directors and the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance Founding Board of Directors
• Paul Gilmer of Triana Energy and a member of the National Community Committee of the CDC Prevention Research Centers
• Dr. Leslie E. Grant of the National Dental Association and the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance Founding Board of Directors
• Marion Kane, formerly of Barr Foundation and currently on the Board of the Directors for the DentaQuest Foundation
• Dr. Dushanka Kleinman of the University of Maryland School of Public Health and the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance Founding Board of Directors
• Barbara Leonard of the Maine Health Access Foundation
• Sandra Owens Lawson of CRP Corp.
• Dr. Lindsey Robinson of the California Dental Association Foundation and the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance Founding Board of Directors, and
• Dr. Donna Shelley of New York University School of Nursing and Dentistry.

Congratulations to our new Oral Health 2014 partners! I encourage you to join them in building collaborative solutions.

The DentaQuest Foundation will continue to look for ways to support local leaders in their important work to make oral health a public health priority. We encourage every group who was interested in Oral Health 2014 to stay active as oral health advocates by contributing their talents and enthusiasm to the work of the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance which is tackling the same priority areas at the national level.

Making Coverage Matter: Pew’s 50 State Report on Children’s Oral Health

On May 24th, The Pew Center on the States, with support from the DentaQuest Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation, issued its second annual report, Making Coverage Matter: Pew’s 50 State Report on Children’s Oral Health.

The report reflects a concerted effort and notable improvement among many of the states during the past year, proving that system changes can yield positive results for states continuing to struggle to provide adequate oral health care for children.

This year, seven states earned ‘A’s including Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and South Carolina. Of these, Maryland was the top performing state, meeting seven of eight benchmarks. In addition, 22 states improved their grades, six of which raised their grade by at least two letters.

But even ‘A’ states have work to do. In five of these seven states, most Medicaid-enrolled children went a full year without seeing a dentist. And the total underserved population of all 7 ‘A’ states is 2,854,594 people.

While this report highlights the hard work that has gone on across the country to educate the general public and policy makers about programs that reduce disease and increase access to oral health care, lack of access to dental care is still an unacceptably persistent problem. Every year, 16 million children go without dental care, placing them at great risk of getting cavities. Cavities are almost 100% preventable when children have access to prevention, education and treatment services.

Five states including Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey, Indiana, Montana, received ‘F’s from this year’s report. By adopting relatively inexpensive and cost-effective strategies, ‘F’ states could improve children’s dental health. For Florida, Hawaii and New Jersey, this is the second straight year receiving failing grades. Indiana and Montana fell from a ‘D’ to an ‘F’.

This report gets people talking about oral health—and that’s important because it serves as a continuing national call to action for all 50 states to do more to improve children's oral health.

So let’s keep talking. What do you think this report has accomplished? Have you seen any signs of change in your state? Please share your thoughts by commenting on my blog.

A copy of the report can be found on the DentaQuest Foundation’s website, www.dentaquestfoundation.org.

Maryland Dental Action Coalition Launches 5-Year Oral Health Plan

On May 17, the Maryland Dental Acton Coalition proudly presented a 5-year (2011-2015) state plan to promote the oral health of all Marylanders. The plan addresses Maryland’s most critical oral health needs and capitalizes on available resources and data.

Speaking at the celebratory launch event is The Honorable Elijah Cummings, U.S. Congress, a long time supporter of oral health access for children in Maryland and across the United States. Also speaking are Delegate Keith Haynes, Maryland General Assembly, Renee Cohen on behalf of the Honorable Ben Cardin, U.S. Congress, Josh Sharfstein, Secretary, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Joseph and Madeline Misero, Katrina Holt, Chair, MDAC Maryland Oral Health Plan Committee, and Beth Lowe, Chair, MDAC. Also speaking is Ralph Fuccillo, President of the DentaQuest Foundation, which provided start up grant funds to MDAC.

Maryland has become a national model in improving the oral health of its citizens over the last decade. The roots of this process go back to 2007, following the untimely death of a 12-year old Maryland child from an untreated dental infection. A statewide Dental Action Committee (DAC) was convened by John M. Colmers, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), with a specific charge to make recommendations to improve access to oral health care for vulnerable (disadvantaged and/or underinsured) children.

In 2010, the DAC transitioned to the Maryland Dental Action Coalition (MDAC), an independent, broad-based partnership of individuals working to make sure progress continued on the DAC’s recommendations for improving access to oral health care for all Marylanders. Last year, MDAC hosted an Oral Health Heroes Celebration to recognize the work of these oral health pioneers.

The Maryland Dental Action Coalition and its members initiated the development of a 5-year state oral health plan and offered guidance as it was developed. The process involved many individuals in state and local government, academic institutions, professional dental organizations, private practice dentists, community-based programs, the insurance industry, advocacy groups, and others. The goals, objectives and activities in the plan will be the basis for work of the Maryland Dental Action Coalition in the years ahead specifically for:
• Access to oral health care
• Oral disease and injury prevention
• Oral health literacy and education.

With the launch of the plan comes a new phase of collaborative action to improve oral health for Marylanders. MDAC is taking inspiration from Helen Keller, who once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much!”

A copy of the Maryland Oral Health Plan will be posted to the DentaQuest Foundation website in Reports: www.dentaquestfoundation.org/resources/reports.php

Report from the Field: National Oral Health Conference, 2011

If you’re involved in public health dental care, are a health researcher, dental educator, legislator, public health official, Medicaid/CHIP dental program staff or consultant, or provide dental care at a community health center, chances are, you are in Pittsburgh, PA this week (April 11-13) at the National Oral Health Conference.

This is the 12th time the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD), the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have brought the national public oral health community together to highlight the many areas where public health systems can converge toward achieving “optimal oral health” for America’s citizens. As a leader in the national conversation about improving oral health for Americans, DentaQuest is playing a visible role.

The ASTDD board invited the leadership of the DentaQuest institute and the DentaQuest Foundation to its annual Board meeting to update them on the significant investments we have planned for 2011.

In the 1st general session of the conference, Mark Doherty, DDM, MPH, Executive Director of the DentaQuest Institute, Ralph Fuccillo, President of the DentaQuest Foundation and Marcia Brand, PhD, the Deputy Administrator of HRSA, walked participants through “Strategies for Achieving and Maximizing Return on Investment in Oral Health.” ARRA and the Affordable Care Act have made significant investments in the health safety net. Oral health programs will benefit. With good planning, this once in a lifetime investment can lead to increased access, improved oral health outcomes, and financial sustainability and potential partnership with private foundations to extend the dollars available for oral health expansion. DentaQuest Institute Director of Practice Improvement, Dr. Jay Anderson is representing the Institute on an ASTDD- and ADA-sponsored panel discussion on working in community health centers. The American Association of Medical Colleges Advisory Group on Oral Health Curricula is discussing adoption of the Smiles for Life online oral health training for health care clinicians.

The DentaQuest Institute is featuring information on Safety Net Solutions technical assistance services throughout the conference at its booth.

The DentaQuest Foundation and Institute look forward to these national events for the opportunity they provide us to connect with dental public health leaders from across the United States. It makes us better at the work we do with our partners in supporting effective approaches to preventing and caring for oral disease.

Blog post by Dr. Michael Monopoli, Director Policy and Programs, DentaQuest Foundation and Brian Souza, Managing Director DentaQuest Foundation and DentaQuest Institute, reporting from NOHC.

Recognizing One of Our Own

This June 5 and 6, the AIDS Walk in Massachusetts celebrates a milestone--25 years. On the occasion of this silver anniversary, the AIDS Action Committee is recognizing 25 people whose contributions have been critical to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Massachusetts and beyond. DentaQuest’s Ralph Fuccillo, President of our Foundation, is one of them.

Ralph is being honored for bringing the right people together to get things done. You can read the very nice profile of Ralph’s impact here.

In all that he does for DentaQuest and for the organizations to which he lends his name and support, Ralph Fuccillo is a connecter and consensus seeker. He is one of the activists who changed the course of prevention for AIDS.

We are very fortunate to have Ralph working just as hard today to get the right people to lend their support to our mission of improving oral health in communities of need across America.

Guest Blog post by Fay Donohue, DentaQuest CEO

Massachusetts has an oral health plan

The plan, presented at the Massachusetts State House by the Better Oral Health for Massachusetts Coalition on April 12, is the result of over a year and a half of work by a dental care providers, program sponsors, lawmakers, state officials, insurers, health advocates, policy leaders, and consumers, in communities from Cape Cod to the Berkshires.

The goal of the state Oral Health Plan is to improve the system of oral health services in the state through a strategy that includes increasing access to preventive services, broadening the public’s understanding of oral health, developing the oral health workforce, and strengthening disease surveillance. The plan emphasizes cost-effective strategies and public-private partnerships at the local, regional and statewide levels.

The Better Oral Health for Massachusetts Coalition was formed in 2008 in response to data provided in 2008 report by the Catalyst Institute’s report, The Oral Health of Massachusetts. This report found gaps in access to preventive oral health services across Massachusetts. For example, 48% of children under the age of 9 suffer from tooth decay and 1 in 10 children from low-income and minority families reported mouth pain while at school. Untreated tooth decay can inhibit a child’s ability to learn, speak, and eat, and result in lower educational attainment and poorer overall health.

I had the pleasure to serve as master of ceremonies at the launch of the plan. Speakers representing state government and the health care community spoke about the importance of oral health and its connection to overall health.

The DentaQuest Foundation has been the primary supporter of the Better Oral Health for Massachusetts Coalition through in-kind and financial contributions. View the plan at www.massoralhealth.org or, at www.dentaquestfoundation.org/resources/reports.php.

Guest post by Ralph Fuccillo, President, DentaQuest Foundation