Changing Lives in Connecticut
On March 9 in Hartford, CT, OHA’s Programs Manager Amanda Ciatti and Programs and Communications Coordinator Ben Anders led a meeting alongside Dr. Ruth Goldblatt, a dental geriatrician and OHA’s consultant for the Wisdom Tooth Project. Dr. Goldblatt helped OHA recruit and unite over 30 health and human services leaders from the local community—including those from oral health, medicine, social services, senior support networks, state government, and national organizations—to discuss the oral health needs of older adults in Connecticut and begin to compile today’s resources while building tomorrow’s opportunities.
The Connecticut pilot project is funded by a 2011 Dental Trade Alliance Foundation grant. This year, as OHA builds a robust online space to connect, educate, and advocate for the oral health of older adults by providing resources and linkages at both national and local levels, the state of Connecticut is serving as an initial demonstration site where OHA is gathering input from community leaders and creating a template for local community page replication by dozens of other states and regions. As a result, Connecticut will be the first state to have its own page on the larger Wisdom Tooth Project web portal.
The collaborative meeting in Hartford was an outstanding success and energized the entire group to continue working to address the oral health needs of older adults—our nation’s fastest growing age group. “All of the professional people gathered to attend this meeting were pleased to lend their knowledge and voices in support of the Wisdom Tooth Project,” said Harvey Leon Frydman, Director/Municipal Agent at the Naugatuck Senior Center in Naugatuck, CT. ”In my 32 years of attending professional conferences and meetings, this was a stellar event.”
Did you know?
- 10,000 baby boomers will reach retirement age every day for the next 19 years.
- While today’s older adults are living longer and enjoy better oral health than previous generations, they are particularly susceptible to oral disease and decay as they age and face chronic and systemic health issues.
The Wisdom Tooth Project® (WTP) changes the lives of older adults especially vulnerable to oral disease.
Through the Wisdom Tooth Project, OHA is pioneering an effort to connect, educate, and advocate for the oral health of all older Americans, especially those most vulnerable.
On the horizon
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Want to get involved?
- Check out our past work. Oral health and older adults was the focus of our 2009 Medical Dental Dialogues, Collaborative Health Care for Older Adults. View our e-briefings from the symposium to learn more.
- Read our publications. For over a decade, Oral Health America has been a national leader in speaking up for the improved oral health of older Americans. Take a look at A State of Decay, our state-by-state report card, originally published in September 2003.
- Connect with us. To receive The Wisdom Tooth Insider monthly updates via e-mail, simply add your e-mail address to our mailing list. Don’t forget to follow OHA on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates on all programs.
- Give back. Older adults—our parents and grandparents—have always been there for us. Now it’s our turn. When you donate to OHA, your support helps Oral Health America’s programs bring healthy mouths to life for Americans of every age. Please give today.
Tell us what you think
- Do you have suggestions for future research? Have fresh ideas or know people we should meet? We’d like to hear from you.
- Share your thoughts about where the Wisdom Tooth Project is headed and how it can be improved as we continue work on this meaningful endeavor.
