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Oral Health America by Beth Truett

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Oral Health America's mission is to connect communities with resources to increase access to care, education and advocacy for all Americans, especially those most vulnerable. OHA's newest program, the Wisdom Tooth Project (WTP), focuses on reaching the most vulnerable population in this country when it comes to oral health - older adults. Every day in the United States, 10,000 adults reach retirement age and Medicare does not include dental benefits. The WTP aims to provide older adults and their caregivers with the resources they need to maintain good oral health as they age.

A large part of this program is the soon-to-be-launched website ToothWisdom.org. This site will provide expert content on issues facing older adults when it comes to oral health and help connect older adults and their caregivers with resources where they live. Dental professionals can participate by becoming a content expert for ToothWisdom.org. The more information that is available on the site, the better we can educate older adults and their caregivers about the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth at any age. The need for content experts will continue once the site is launched. If you are interested in providing content for the site or for more information, contact Ally Supowitz at Allyson.Supowitz@oralhealthamerica.org

In addition to educating older adults, OHA aims to educate all Americans through its annual Fall for Smiles campaign. Every September and October, Fall for Smiles provides messaging about the importance of maintaining good oral health through brushing and flossing, regular visits to the dentist, eating a healthy diet and avoiding tobacco. As part of the campaign, OHA releases the results of a public opinion survey about oral health, revealing how Americans think about oral health and how they keep their mouths healthy.

We encourage all dental professionals to participate in this campaign both in their communities and through their dental offices. On the Fall for Smiles webpage (OralHealthAmerica.org/fallforsmiles), you'll find template newsletter articles and letters to the editor to spread the campaign's message through your office's newsletters or your local newspaper. You will also find suggestions for how to talk about the campaign on social media. Every year Fall for Smiles also features a Smile Contest, where dental professionals are invited to submit photos of how their teams and/or patients maintain their healthy smiles. As fall approaches, the Fall for Smiles webpage will have even more ways showing how dental professionals can participate in the campaign and tell the public about the importance of oral health.

We invite all dental professionals to visit OHA's website, www.oralhealthamerica.org, and follow us on Twitter (@Smile4Health) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/oral healthamerica) to learn more about our programs and the work we do. With your help, we can bring oral health care and resources to the people who need it most.

Author's Bio
Beth Truett is president and chief executive officer of Oral Health America (OHA), an organization dedicated to improving oral health, especially for America's most vulnerable citizens. Based in Chicago, OHA was founded in 1955 and works to connect communities with resources to provide access to care, education and public policies. Truett came to OHA in September 2008 with significant corporate and nonprofit leadership experience, serving previously as the executive director of Chicago Lights, a community outreach organization that annually serves 7,000 Chicagoans who face the challenges of aging, poverty, access to education and health care.
Dentaltown Magazine
April 2024
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