ORAL HEALTH CARE CAN'T WAIT
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Oral Health America is pleased to be a sponsor of the Oral Healthcare Can't Wait™ campaign, launched by the Dental Trade Alliance to encourage Americans not to give oral health, or overall health, the brush-off! Click here for information about the campaign. Information for consumers is at:
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PHOTO GALLERY
OHA's Presence at the Little League World Series, August 21-30 |
at our Little League World Series booth.
OHA's National Spit Tobacco Education Program (NSTEP) slogan contest winner Katie Reynolds with her family and Joseph Donohue (OHA).
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Katie Reynolds with OHA's Joseph Donohue and Melissa Hoebbel.
Thank you Delta Dental of California & Aspen Dental for sponoring the 2009 Oral Health America NSTEP Program.
OHA's 2009 Little League World Series trading pin featuring Katie's winning slogan. |
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2008 ANNUAL REPORT |
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OHA's Annual Report illustrates our commitment to Access, Education and Advocay.
Please take a look! |
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OHA IN THE NEWS!
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New York Times Health Columnist Walecia Konrad interviewed OHA about Managing Dental Costs With or Without Insurance
An opinion piece in the Denver Post by Kate Paul, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Colorado, Including Oral Health in Reform, referenced
OHA's public opinon survey |
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HDA ANNUAL MEETING
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The Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) is a national organization of dental professionals dedicated to promoting and improving the oral health of the Hispanic community and providing advocacy for Hispanic oral health professionals across the United States. As a collaborative partner of the HDA, Oral Health America invites you to its 17th Annual Meeting on October 22-24, 2009 at the Hilton Americas Houston Hotel in Houston, Texas.
Take advantage of this excellent opportunity to participate in continuing education as well as to network and socialize with dental professionals and students who have a passionate interest in Hispanic oral health.
HDA's meeting theme this year is Launching Solutions for Optimal Hispanic Oral Health. To learn more and to register, please visit www.hdassoc.org
www.hdassoc.org
To contact the National Office of the HDA, please call 800-852-7921 or email hispanicdental@
hdassoc.org. |
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We Welcome The Children's Dental Center of Greater Los Angeles into the Smiles Across America® Family of Collaborative Partners
Pictured above: TCDC President and CEO Dennis Young, actress Jennie Garth, OHA President and CEO Beth Truett; Jennie Garth talking to children at TCDC.
On August 27 in Inglewood, CA, Oral Health America celebrated a new Smiles Across America® partnership with The Children's Dental Center of Greater Los Angeles (TCDC). Children, teachers and parents from the Inglewood community, members of TCDC's and OHA's Boards of Directors, executives from Trident®, and community leaders including Vons supermarket and April Lawrence, Los Angeles Field Representative for Congresswoman Maxine Waters, visited TCDC's Toothfairy Cottage for an event to help raise awareness of the importance of children's oral health.
"Today we not only recognize the important contribution that TCDC founder Dr. Cherilyn Sheets and her father made to the community of Inglewood, but thanks to the generosity of Trident's support of Smiles Across America, we welcome The Children's Dental Center of Greater Los Angeles as a collaborative partner into the Smiles Across America family," said Beth Truett, President and CEO of OHA.
Smiles Across America connects urban and rural communities with financial and technical resources to improve the oral health of children who are underserved or uninsured.
"We selected the Children's Dental Center because they represent exactly the kind of program that we seek to support. Their philosophy is synchronous with Oral Health America's belief that a lack of resources or insurance should not prevent families from obtaining dental care," said Ms. Truett.
The Smiles Across America grant will impact the delivery of TCDC's programs and services to more than 80,000 children, caregivers and other community-based organizations in Southern California, and increase the number of children receiving school oral health services and a connection to TCDC as a dental home.
"TCDC's customers represent a diverse group of immigrant and Spanish-speaking families, and a growing number of underserved ethnic and racial minority groups," said TCDC President and CEO Dennis Young. "The children we see range in age from six months to 22 years of age, and we are also providing access to the parents and caregivers of these children, knowing that untreated dental disease negatively affects the entire family."
During a satellite media tour for the event, actress and Smiles Across America ambassador Jennie Garth spoke to TV and radio stations throughout the country about the importance of brushing, flossing, and teaching children how to care for their teeth. Corina Ramirez, DDS, a practicing pediatric dentist who volunteers to provide free dental care for uninsured children, and who holds a position on the Board of Directors of Latinos for Dental Careers, served as an event spokesperson with Hispanic media outlets including Telemundo LA and La Opinion.
"I am excited to be working with Trident and the Smiles Across America program to raise awareness about the importance of oral healthcare for children," said Ms. Garth. "As a mother, I know first-hand how important it is for children to have healthy smiles. Through my work with Trident I hope to help other parents foster good oral health habits with their own children." |
OCTOBER 16 SYMPOSIUM ON COLLABORATIVE HEALTHCARE FOR OLDER ADULTS
Oral Health America, The New York Academy of Sciences, Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and College of Dental Medicine are bringing together scientists, clinicians and health care leaders on October 16 for an open forum to address the health care issues unique to older Americans.
The event, Collaborative Health Care for Older Adults: A Symposium for Creating Dialogue between Medicine and Dentistry, will be held at the New York Academy of Sciences Conference Center in New York City. The event will feature speakers including Dr. Cynthia Boyd, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. Dr. Boyd will be discussing multimorbidity (having multiple chronic conditions simultaneously), and the implications for the health and health care of older adults.
Currently, Dr. Boyd's research focuses on how we make decisions for older people with multimorbidity--how we should prioritize among all possible treatments, screening tests, and other testing typically recommended by clinical practice guidelines.
When asked about the oral systemic linkage, Dr. Boyd stated, "The oral link is an important one, as it likely affects the pathogenesis and outcomes of many chronic conditions, as well as directly affecting the quality of life of older adults. Conferences such as this one, which allow us to learn from one another will go a long way towards furthering dialogue between dentists and physicians."
The symposium aims to facilitate communication among health care professions and will feature keynote speaker Dr. Marie Bernard, Deputy Director of NIH's National Institute on Aging.
For more information or to register for the event, visit: http://www.nyas.org/health-aging |
DONOR PROFILE: CATHY GUNVALSON
Cathy Gunvalson, a dental hygienist for the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Northern Minnesota, shares why she supports Oral Health America.
OHA: As a dental professional who frequently provides dental care in a setting that has limited resources, could you explain why OHA's product contributions enable you to improve the lives and oral health of children on the Red Lake Indian Reservation?
Ms. Gunvalson: OHA's contribution of sealant material and fluoride varnish has allowed our school program to seal 1,508 teeth and deliver 3,416 fluoride varnish applications in 2008-09 alone. OHA has been an essential partner of the Red Lake School Dental Prevention Program for the past 6 years. Without the generous support of OHA, delivery of these preventive oral health measures would be increasingly difficult as other funding sources have diminished.
OHA: Why do you personally contribute to OHA's Annual Fund Campaign?
Ms. Gunvalson: As a dental hygienist working in a school setting, I have come to understand that it is impossible to effectively teach a child that suffers with oral pain. OHA's support has allowed me to reach more children through oral health education and preventive dental services. Our goal is to empower these children to take control of their oral health and grow into adults that do not experience pain and tooth loss. I personally contribute to OHA's Annual Fundraising Campaign because I believe in the mission of OHA to improve public health by eliminating oral disease, especially for the country's most vulnerable citizens. I believe the United States is only as healthy as it's most ill citizens.
I would encourage others to become partners in the effort to create a country free from the suffering of chronic oral pain due to preventable disease. As a wise person somewhere once said "Many hands lighten the load," so any contribution will help a child in need.
To help change the lives of vulnerable children, CLICK HERE |
HEALTH REFORM 2009, ROUND THREE Health care reform continues to capture national attention, and the debate heats up with the release of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' (D-MT) America's Healthy Future Act health reform legislation today, and current consideration of 50 amendments to the legislation developed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Coming weeks could see the reconciliation of the House and Senate bills in anticipation of a single bill for Congress to vote on and deliver to the President.
The right to public education is included in our Constitution, which gives us a basis for ensuring that all Americans have access to it. Not so with health care. We are facing a fundamental question: can we agree that all Americans should have equal access to our health care system?
Oral health provisions in the existing House and Senate bills have been developed with care, and primarily focus on children. Members of Congress understand oral health's importance to overall health, but will be asked to make tough choices about funding and benefits.
We can't back off now. Take a moment to consider how our health care system treats our neighbors, colleagues, patients, customers, and families, especially those who are underinsured or uninsured.
Your elected officials do want to hear what is important to you, especially on an issue that is such a part of our national identity.
Call your Senators and Representatives today. Contact information for elected officials can be found here: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml. If you have called before, call again. If you have never called, pick up the phone.
Ask your Elected Officials to:
- Support healthcare reform that provides universal access to care, including oral health care, for all Americans.
- Ensure that the oral health provisions in the House and Senate health reform bills remain intact.
- Request that any Congressional advisory body set up to address healthcare reform must include an oral health expert.
Then contact Oral Health America and share your experience and thoughts about health reform. How should oral health be incorporated into this system? What prompted you to reach out to your elected officials now? Your stories may inspire someone else to take action. Email Melissa Hoebbel, melissa@oralhealthamerica.org OR post them on our Facebook Page.
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SHOP WITH GIVEBACKAMERICA.ORG!
Frequently Shop Online?
GiveBackAmerica.org is an online shopping mall that was created to raise money for charities. Retailers, such as Expedia.com and Target.com, pay GiveBackAmerica.org a commission to refer customers to their site. GiveBackAmerica.org takes the commission from the retailer and shares it with the charity of your choice. Please make Oral Health America that charity!
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GIVE TO OHA THROUGH THE UNITED WAY!
Did you know you can designate your United Way contribution to Oral Health America? We are registered with the IRS as a 501(C)3 tax-deductible charity.
United Way's workplace campaign usually takes place in the Fall. Please talk to your employer about adding Oral Health America to your list of charities or simply write us in and we'll take care of the paper work! | |
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