DO YOU HAVE YOUR TICKET FOR DENTISTRY’S MOST POPULAR CHARITABLE EVENT?
The 21st Annual Oral Health America Gala & Benefit Dinner will be held February 23, 2011 at Chicago’s legendary Field Museum. The event, which supports OHA’s programs, routinely attracts over 800 guests on the eve of the Chicago Dental Society’s Midwinter Meeting. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Joe Donohue by email, call (312) 836-9900, or visit our web page.
BEN’S BLOG
Social Media Coordinator Ben Anders
is blogging for OHA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Follow Ben’s Blog and meet Ben at the OHA Gala in February!
GIVE KIDS A SMILE 2011
The 9th annual American Dental Association Give Kids a Smile Day takes place on February 4. Participate by registering your own event or attending one one near you. For more information, click here. OHA supports many Give Kids A Smile events with donated dental products. Visit our product donation page, or contact Melissa Hoebbel, and let us know how we can help you give kids a smile!
DEDICATED SAA
FRIEND RETIRES
Caroline Turner, longtime director of OHA’s Smiles Across America® grantee, the Santa Barbara/Ventura County Dental Care Foundation, CA, retired at the end of December. We thank her for all of her work over the years send our best wishes!
OHA IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Philathropy News Digest featured OHA this month in its NPO Spotlight. Click here to check it out!
DENTAQUEST FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANT TO OHA’S WISDOM TOOTH PROJECT
Oral Health America (OHA) is honored be the recipient of a $145,000 DentaQuest Foundation grant award for the development of OHA’s Wisdom Tooth Project, which seeks to change the lives of older adults who are especially vulnerable to oral disease. The award supports one of OHA’s five Wisdom Tooth Project strategies: a communications campaign for older adults, caregivers, and medical and dental professionals interested in the oral and overall health of our country’s growing older adult population.
There is a healthcare issue on the horizon that Dr. Marie Barnard, Assistant Director for the National Institute on Aging calls the “silver tsunami.” Why the disaster terminology? A population of thirty-five million people who are 65 years or older today is predicted to grow to 88 million by 2050. Many older adults face serious oral and systemic health challenges.
One-third of seniors have untreated tooth decay and 23% have severe periodontal disease. Research also links oral disease with serious systemic diseases that commonly affect older adults — diabetes, coronary artery disease and Alzheimer’s. In light of these realities, OHA is eager to create solutions that address the anticipated crisis.
I was exceptionally pleased to participate in the American Dental Association’s National Coalition Consensus Conference in November with professionals from a variety of oral and general health disciplines who generated 100 bright ideas for change – like reducing ER visits; developing policies supporting the aged, bind and disabled; and creating online resources for families, caregivers, and community health organizations.
OHA is developing such a resource through our Wisdom Tooth Project and is gratified that others want to collaborate and share the benefits with their organizations. No one group can adequately address all the issues, but through collaboration we believe it’s possible to move the needle to help seniors enjoy better oral health as a part of lifelong health. If this is one of your interests I hope you will be in touch to share your passion.
OUR SMILES ACROSS AMERICA® PARTNERS ARE IMPROVING ORAL HEALTH AND CHANGING LIVES
The New York University College of Dentistry and Washington County Children’s Program in Machias, Maine, both Smiles Across America® (SAA) program grantees, collaborated recently to help hundreds receive much needed dental care. NYU dental school professors, staff, and students, and local dental professionals completed more than 650 dental visits, many for serious dental emergencies. The clinic will return in April for follow-up appointments, treat more Maine residents in need, and provide a life-changing experience for all involved.
SAA grantee MORE HEALTH, Inc., based in Tampa, FL, recently launched its innovative “Are You Mouth Wise?” educational program to help support healthy dental habits, including brushing, flossing and eating healthy foods. Visit the campaign’s website for more information.
Philadelphia-based SAA grantee Kids Smiles, Inc., recently celebrated its tenth anniversary and opened a new clinic location in Washington, D.C. Pictured above (left to right) are: Stefan Huh, Director of the Office of Public Charter School Financing and Support (OPCSFS); Susan Schaeffler, CEO of KIPP DC; Ward 7 Councilwoman Yvette Alexander; Cheryl Janssen, Kids Smiles CEO ; Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, DC Department of Health Community Health Administrator; and two children from a neighboring KIPP school.
SAA provided grant funding, donated dental product and/or technical assistance to 109 treatment partners in 27 states in 2010, supporting services to an estimated 310,000 children and their families. Find out more!
LIZ ROGERS IS OHA’S NEW VICE PRESIDENT
Liz Rogers, who joined OHA in 1999, has been promoted to Vice President. Most recently, she was Director of Communications and Public Affairs.Liz will lead OHA’s programmatic, communications and advocacy efforts, and play a key role in the organization’s expansion.
“Liz represents the heart and soul of OHA, based on her history, knowledge, reputation and commitment to OHA; she is respected and counted on by the staff, the Board and by many OHA partners,” said Beth Truett, President and CEO. ”We would not be the positive organization it is without Liz; it is a pleasure to have her as my colleague and partner.”
In addition to her new leadership role at OHA, Liz is pursuing a Master’s in Health Policy and Management at the University of Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service.
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THE HARRY J. BOSWORTH COMPANY GIVES OHA ROOM TO GROW!
To help OHA reach more programs and organizations with its Smiles Across America® Product Donation program, The Harry J. Bosworth Company generously provides warehouse space to store the donated dental products OHA receives from manufacturers who support our mission. Bosworth employees, including Operations Manager Javier Rodriguez and Sue Thai, Accounting and Customer Service, also donate their time, fulfilling orders from our non-profit dental care provider partners, and sending shipments to communities across the country.
“Our pride in making our customers happy extends to helping OHA with their community service and reach,” said Javier Rodriguez. “We are so pleased to support their program.”
Thank you to Bosworth and Javier and Sue for their work in helping OHA to distribute over 300,000 units of donated dental product in 2010.
FLUORIDE RECCOMENDATIONS SUPPORT COMMUNITY WATER FLUORIDATION
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency recently provided guidance that community water fluoridation levels be set at the lowest level of the recommended range, in part because Americans are receiving fluoride from a variety of sources. As this editorial in The Grand Rapids Press explains, the recommendation supports community water fluoridation as a safe and effective way to improve oral health, reducing tooth decay rates by 20 to 40 percent.
“Our pride in making our customers happy extends to helping OHA with their community service and reach,” said Javier Rodriguez. “We are so pleased to support their program.”
