july 2013 member newsletter - better oral health for massachusetts
TRANSCRIPT
July 2013 Member Newsletter
InThisIssue
ReportoftheBoardofDirectors
OralHealthLeadershipSummit
BOHMACCommitteeReports
CommunityWaterFluoridationinMassachusetts
WaterFluoridationResources
Haveyouseen...
JobsofInterest
ReportoftheExecutiveCommitteeoftheBoardofDirectors
The Executive Committee and Board of Directors are very pleased to announce theappointment of Deborah Shields as Executive Director of the Better Oral Health forMassachusetts Coalition. Deborah has a JD from Northeastern University School of Lawand an MPH from Boston University School of Public Health. She comes to BOHMAC withover twenty years of experience as a public health advocate and executive director ofseveral not-for-profit organizations including the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalitionand The AIDS Project (Maine). She is an member of the Fenway Community Health CenterBoard of Visitors and both the American and Massachusetts public healthassociations. Deborah can be reached at [email protected]. RebekahFiehn will continue to serve as part-time BOHMAC Coordinator along with Maria Mendez,Brockton Community Organizer. Please join the Board and staff in welcoming Deborah to BOHMAC!!!!
ORALHEALTHLEADERSHIPSUMMITANDBOHMACANNUALMEETING
OCTOBER 3, 2013 Southbridge Hotel and Conference Center
Southbridge, MA
On October 3, 2013 BOHMAC is convening stakeholders froma wide range of organizations and disciplines to further theoverall goal of ensuring that oral health is recognized as anintegral part of overall health. This leadership summit will provide the opportunity forcollaboration among health organizations. Our goal is to encourage discussion among keystakeholders on the importance of expanded access to oral health services, oral healthequity, and evidence-based oral health prevention efforts.
Watch for updates about this exciting event! If you are interested in participating in the planning committee please contact Rebekah [email protected].
BOHMACCommitteeReports
Prevention Committee The Prevention Committee has three Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) initiatives: (1)obtaining a national speaker on CWF for the BOHMAC Oral Health Leadership Summit tobe held in October 3, 2013; (2) organizing a CWF training session for the BOHMAC Boardof Directors and Prevention Committee members interested in responding to requests tospeak at local health board and town meetings; (3) producing a white paper on CWF inMassachusetts. Kathy Dolan, Committee Chair, is participating in the Oral Health Summitplanning group and the Brockton CWF Initiative. Brockton CWF Initiative With funding from Health Resources in Action (HRiA) and the DentaQuest Foundation, andunder the leadership of Dr. Catherine Hayes, BOHMAC Immediate Past Chair, MariaMendez, BOHMAC Community Organizer and Jodie Silverman, Aleya Martin, and ErinTighe from HRiA have been interviewing key community leaders and conducting focusgroups in Brockton to assist the Greater Brockton Community Health Network develop itsoral health initiative. Oral Health and Tobacco Cessation Roundtable Dr. Catherine Hayes and Kathy Eklund, members of the BOHMAC Board, convened aroundtable session on oral health and tobacco cessation supported by the DentaQuestFoundation and hosted by the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) in partnership withthe Oral Health Task Force and Tobacco Free Massachusetts. Over 30 participantsrepresenting a broad spectrum of individuals and organizations involved in oral health andtobacco control welcomed Dr. Taru Hannele Kinnunen from Harvard University'sSchools of Dental Medicine and Medicine who provided an overview of the latestresearch on strategies for preventing tobacco use and encouraging cessation, and outlinedchallenges and opportunities for oral health professionals in tobacco cessation efforts. Shannon Wells, Oral Health Affairs Manager at the Massachusetts League ofCommunity Health Centers and member of the BOHMAC Board of Directors presented anoverview of community health center dental programs and tobacco cessation. Followingthe presentations, roundtable participants generated recommendations for ways that oralhealth educators and practitioners can promote tobacco prevention and cessation. Bridging the Gap Initiative (Promoting Dental/Medical Partnerships) Dr. Catherine Hayes reports that the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) has formallyestablished an Oral Health Task Force, who, in collaboration with Dr. Hayes, will bepolling MMS members on opportunities and challenges to increase cooperation andcollaboration with oral health educators and practitioners. The results of this survey willassist Dr. Hayes and the BOHMAC Bridging the Gap Initiative in planning a statewideseries of regional roundtables of dentist and doctors in 2014.
Workforce Development and Access to Care Committee The Executive Committee is very pleased to announce that Lori Rainchuso, RDH MS andDr. John Fisher are serving as co-chairs of this re-organized committee and will be issuinga progress report and meeting schedule shortly. The Legislature is still consideringproposed amendments to the statute establishing the Healthcare Workforce AdvisoryCommittee that would add a dentist, dental hygienist, and community health worker tothe Advisory Committee's membership. Surveillance and Assessment Committee Chair Joan Lowbridge-Sisley reports that the Committee continues to have productivediscussions with DPH and MassHealth Dental regarding expanding the type and amountof data on oral health status and service utilization and access to that data. Policy Committee Chairman Shannon Wells and the members of the BOHMAC Policy Committee have beenmeeting monthly with Health Care for All's Oral Health Advocacy Task Force. Theirmajor focus has been the full restoration of MassHealth adult dental benefits. TheConference Committee report sets the FY2014 Budget for these benefits at $17.2M anddirects the MassHealth Dental Director to establish coverage parameters by January 1,2014. Communications Committee Janice Healey and Rebekah Fiehn have had two meetings of the Committee to draft atemplate for the BOHMAC Communications Plan for review and discussion at the July 17thBoard meeting.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THESE COMMITTEES, TO CONFIRM YOUR INTEREST INCONTINUING TO PARTICIPATE IN A COMMITTEE (OR NOT), OR TO JOIN ANOTHERCOMMITTEE, PLEASE CONTACTREBEKAH FIEHN at [email protected]
Remember to check our Events Calendar for meeting updates!
CommunityWaterFluoridationinMassachusetts
Community water fluoridation (CWF) is a safe and cost-effectiveprevention measure that provides protection from dental decaythroughout the lifespan, regardless of age, race, ethnicity orsocioeconomic status. Although tooth decay is both preventable andtreatable, it remains the number one chronic disease affecting youngchildren. The CDC has recognized water fluoridation as one of 10 great publichealth achievements of the 20th century yet we are seeing roll-backsin towns nationwide. Already this year, Massachusetts has hadfluoride debated in:
Duxbury, MA
Lincoln, MALongmeadow, MAScituate, MATempleton, MAWayland, MA
BOHMAC and our partners have been actively providing education and resources toadvocates in these towns to help them make the case for water fluoridation. We havebeen able to activate our network of experts and advocates, and have had severalindividuals attend various hearings across the state. The BOHMAC Prevention Committee, Chaired by Kathy Dolan, is working on developing acommunity water fluoridation strategy for the Coalition. Part of this strategy includesstatewide training on CWF, the development of a white paper on fluoridation, andoutreach to communities and policy makers to educate them on the issues aroundwater fluoridation.
BOHMACCommunityWaterFluoridationChampions!
BOHMAC would like to recognize and thank two of our members for the extraordinary workthey have been doing on community water fluoridation this year.
Dr. Myron Allukian Jr.Myron Allukian the 4th, 10 Lbs, 3 ounces, born June 12, 2013, is thegrandson of Dr. Myron Allukian Jr. Dr. Allukian was deeply involved inretaining fluoridation in Duxbury, Lincoln and Templeton. An internationallyrecognized public health expert and the former City of Boston DentalDirector for 34 years, Dr. Allukian served as Chairman of the U.S. SurgeonGeneral's Work Group on Fluoridation and Dental Health for the 1990Prevention Objectives for the Nation, and the Dental Advisory Committees
for Healthy People 2000, 2010, and 2020, the National Health Objectives. Board certifiedin dental public health, Dr. Allukian , a Vietnam veteran is a past president of theAmerican Public Health Association (APHA), the 2nd dentist in 118 years.Read Dr. Allukian Jr.'s "Winning New Fluoridation Battles" Dr. John Fisher
Dr. John Fisher is a past president of the Massachusetts Dental Societyserving from 2010-2011. Dr. Fisher is a general dentist and maintains hisown a private practice in Salem, MA. Active in his community, Dr. Fisher is amember of the Salem Rotary, and volunteers with the Salem YMCA, theNorth Shore Medical Center Cancer Walk, Catholic Charities of the NorthShore and Children's Friend and Family Services. He is a fellow of both theAmerican College of Dentists and International College of Dentists.
Read what Dr. Fisher has to say about fluoridation!
CommunityWaterFluoridationResources
BOHMAC's Reports and ResourcesCheck out BOHMAC's resource page for information on community water fluoridation. Wewill be updating this page on a regular basis. We want to be your one stop shop forinformation!
I Like My TeethI Like My Teeth is a great source for information and tools. It is run by The Campaign forDental Health, a project sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Campaignfor Dental Health was created to ensure every American has access to the least expensive,most effective and most basic oral health intervention - fluoridation. They are a network oflocal groups and scientists working together to protect our nation's gains in oral health. Other ResourcesAssociation of State and Territorial Dental DirectorsAmerican Academy of PediatricsAmerican Academy of Pediatric DentistryAmerican Dental AssociationAmerican Water Works AssociationCenters for Disease Control and PreventionChildren's Dental Health ProjectFluoride Legislative User Information DatabaseFluoride ScienceMy Children's Teeth (AAPD)National Association of Local Boards of Health
OralHealthEvents
MeaningfulUse,DentistryandOralHealthWebinarAugust1,2013
BOHMAC/OHATPolicyMeetingBoston,MAJuly,23
BOHMAC
CommunicationsMeetingBoston,MA
TBD
BOHMACPreventionMeeting
TBD
BOHMACAccessand
WorkforceMeetingAug30,2013
BOHMAC
Surveillance/AssessmentMeetingTBD
ViewUpcomingEventsonourWebsite!
HaveYouSeen...
Social Media for FluoridationPew Charitable Trusts recently released a new infographic oncommunity water fluoridation. They have asked oral healthadvocates to help build public awareness that fluoridation is asmart health practice that works and - believe it or not - millionsof people still aren't receiving its benefits. Please join Pew andBOHMAC by tweeting for fluoridation (and/or writing a Facebookpost). Here is a URL to the infographic: http://tinyurl.com/ldw34my
JobsofInterest
Children's Health Alliance of Wisconsin is currently looking tohire a full time oral health coalition coordinator to become amember of the Children's Health Alliance of Wisconsin team.The Alliance is Wisconsin's voice for children's health. We raiseawareness, mobilize leaders, impact public policy andimplement programs proven to work.This position will lead the efforts of the Wisconsin Oral HealthCoalition (WOHC). The coalition is a dedicated group of morethan 160 individuals, organizations and agencies addressing oralhealth access issues and working to improve oral health for allresidents statewide.
To apply visit www.chw.org and click the careers link on the topright hand side of the page. Follow the next step and then in thekeyword box type in "coalition" and this job should pop up.
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