Maryland Dental Action Coalition
We invite you to participate in our 2013 Oral Health Summit in December! More information will be coming soon. Visit this page for information and resources from our 2011 Oral Health Summit and Oral Health Heroes Awards.
Healthy People 2020
Healthy People 2020 just launched a new online tool that lets you search across Healthy People objectives to find just what you are looking for. Check it out!
Healthy People eLearning is an online educational resource designed to help students and health professionals learn how to reach our Nation’s health goals. All educational offerings feature a case study of a community working to achieve Healthy People 2020 objectives and provide free continuing education. Educational offerings will take participants beyond the data to explore the challenges, successes, and processes involved in creating and sustaining healthier communities.
Latest Lessons and Events: Participate in the Healthy People eLearning lesson, “Defining Success in a Systems Approach: The San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative.” Find out how one community is using a cross-sector approach to address childhood obesity. Upon completion of this lesson, participants can receive continuing education.
National Oral Cancer Awareness Month – April 2013
Over 650 Marylanders will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. While tobacco remains a principle cause, other risk factors such as heavy alcohol use and exposure to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) play a role in the disease process.
Limiting alcoholic drinks, using a lip balm with an SPF of at least 15 anytime you are outdoors, having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and limiting certain sexual behaviors that place you at higher risk for exposure to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) are all effective ways to reduce your risk of oral cancer. However, quitting tobacco use remains the best action anyone can take to prevent this deadly disease. READ MORE
Oral Cancer brochure
Open Wide Look Inside poster
Oral Cancer News
More resources for oral cancer awareness
National Public Health Week
April 1 – 7, 2013
Surgeon General Regina Benjamin kicks off National Public Health Week and explains how public health is a return on investment. Watch the announcement of a national effort to engage more people in a simple, easy, and extremely beneficial exercise – walking!
National Public Health Week toolkit – it makes sharing information easy.
Twitter Chat! Wednesday, April 3 at 2pm. It will be a LIVE chat on Twitter about public health research trends and resources.
Evaluating Legislation Impact: The Maryland Public Health Dental Hygiene Act
On April 9, 2013 from 2:30-3:30pm there will be a webinar featuring Harry Goodman, DMD, MPH, director of the Office of Oral Health; Deborah Levy, MS, founder of SuccessLinks, LLC; and Sue Camardese, RDH, MS, public health dental hygienist at Chase Brexton Health Services in Columbia, MD. They will discuss the law and the effect it has had on underserved populations, especially children, in Maryland. Visit this page for more information and to register for the webinar.
This website was created by the American Dental Association. It offers oral health information for individuals at all life stages, nutritional tips, fact or fiction information, and so much more. There’s even games and activities for kids to help them learn about the importance of oral health. Visit this page to keep your MouthHealthy!
Maryland Dent-Care Loan Assistance Repayment Program (MDC-LARP)
MDC-LARP is a competitive program that provides Maryland dentists the opportunity to have educational loans repaid by the State of Maryland. Educational loan repayment could total $71,220 over a three-year period. Dentists provide dental services to Maryland Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid) recipients, making a huge difference in the lives of countless Maryland children. The purpose of MDC-LARP is to increase access to oral health care services for Maryland’s most vulnerable populations. Visit this page for more information.
Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign Racks Up Marketing Awards
Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids campaign received 2012 MarCom Award and 2012 Davey Award
Baltimore, MD (February 7, 2013) – The Maryland Dental Action Coalition has recently been named the recipient of two marketing awards as a result of its Oral Health Literacy Campaign, Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids. The campaign received a Gold MarCom Award in the international competition for marketing and communication professionals and a Silver Davey Award for creativity in advertising.
The MarCom Award honors excellence and recognizes the creativity, hard work and generosity of marketing and communication professionals. Its statuette graces the trophy cases of some of the top business and communication firms in the world. The MarCom competition has grown to be the largest of its kind, with over 6,000 entries from the United States, Canada and several additional countries in the 2012 competition.
The Davey Award is an international creative award focused exclusively on honoring outstanding creative work from the best small firms worldwide. The 2012 Davey Awards received nearly 4,000 entries from ad agencies, interactive agencies, production firms, in-house creative professionals, graphic designers, design firms and public relations firms.
In addition to the MarCom Award and Davey Award, the Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids campaign also won a TELLY Award and Videographer Award in 2012.
MDAC and partners launch Spanish language oral health literacy campaign!
Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids - Dientes Sanos, Ninos Sanos
Baltimore, MD (February 1, 2013) – In observation of National Children’s Dental Health Month, the Maryland Dental Action Coalition (MDAC) is expanding the Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids oral health literacy campaign by launching a Spanish language companion campaign, Dientes Sanos, Niños Sanos. This will include a nine-week Spanish language radio campaign that is intended to reach low-income Hispanic pregnant women and women with children under 6. The purpose of this campaign is to provide health messaging to reduce oral disease by increasing healthy behaviors, including tooth brushing and seeking early, preventive oral care.
The website launch coincides with a Spanish language media campaign that will target low-income Hispanic women ages 18-34 with nine weeks of radio advertising that will run on WLZL-El Zol 107.9FM. The first ad run is six weeks, from February 4-March 17. The second ad run is three weeks, from April 1-April 21. The radio ad will run 71 times per week and 639 times over the nine week period with a reach and frequency of 49.2%, meaning 49.2% of Hispanic women ages 18-34 will hear the radio ad 10 times over the nine week campaign.
The campaign is made possible through the support and collaboration of The Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy at the University of Maryland, School of Public Health, MDAC‘s Maryland Oral Health Learning Alliance, and the Maryland Office of Oral Health.
Visit this page for PGC TV coverage of the Spanish language oral health literacy campaign launch at the Prince George’s County Health Department on Friday, February 1, 2013. Coverage begins at the 0:30 mark.
Maryland Dental Action Coalition Wins Third International Marketing Award
The Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign, Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids won a “Davey” award for creativity in advertising. The focus of the Davey Awards is to recognize a big achievement on a small budget. The award recognizes the creative achievements of smaller advertising and social marketing agencies, “Davids” of the industry as opposed to the “Goliaths.”
Although the Davey Awards are for smaller organizations the judges have big reputations. The Davey is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms.
In addition to the Davey Award the Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids campaign also won a Telly and a Videographer award in 2012.
Just Released Pew Report
Falling Short: Most States Lag on Dental Sealants
(A message from Penny Anderson, Executive Director of MDAC. January 9, 2013)
Yesterday, the Pew Charitable Trusts Center on the States released its latest report on state oral health activities. This year’s report, Falling Short: Most States Lag on Dental Sealants, focuses on the application of dental sealants on children in high-need schools and relevant policies and reporting. Please do not confuse this report with last year’s Pew report that rated Maryland A+ on 8 different criteria. The focus of this report, and the criteria assessed, are quite different.
For this state-by-state assessment, Pew used 4 criteria and ranked each one on a point scale. The criteria, and Maryland’s score on each, follow:
- Percentage of high-need schools with sealant programs (achieving a goal of 75% of Title I schools with school-based dental sealants) – Maryland received 3 out of 4 points by reaching 70% of Title I schools;
- Rules restricting hygienists, or having a public health dental hygienist law on the books (no dentist needed for direct supervision or to see a child first before the hygienist employed by a recognized public health program is able to provide services allowed under the scope of practice) – Maryland passed such legislation in 2008 and received the full 3 points;
- Collecting and submitting state oral health data to the National Oral Health Surveillance System – Maryland has been contributing to this system for years. However, the data required for this report is collected every five years and, as is the case for a number of states, Maryland’s data is over 5 years old. In speaking with Dr. Goodman, DHMH Office of Oral Health, he notes that the new report will be published in several months. Maryland received 2 of 3 potential points;
- Meeting the Healthy People 2010 sealant goal (sealants applied to 50% of third grade children) – Maryland received 0 out of 1 point since our last data point (2005) shows us at 27%; however, a new report that will provide an updated percentage will be out soon.
Thus, Maryland was awarded 8 points for a B grade. To receive an A grade, a state had to receive at least 10 points (maximum was 11). We are pleased to be in the top group of 13 states with an A or B grade!
It should also be noted that Pew’s slide set related to the report highlights Maryland as 1 of the top 10 states with the highest percentage of water fluoridation.
As a reminder, expansion of the dental sealant program has been and will continue to be a priority for DHMH’s Office of Oral Health (OOH) and is a recommendation in the Maryland Oral Health Plan. Our work in this area has progressed considerably but there is much yet to do.
Other documents associated with the report:
Press Release
Sealants Infographic
50 State Fact Sheet
Opinions of Maryland Adults Regarding Communication Practices of Dentists and Staff
School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
To read the article, please click here.
Abstract
Communication practices of dental care providers are especially important to provider-patient and provider-caregiver communication because most patients report that they obtain oral health information from their dentist. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of English-speaking Maryland adults who had a child 6 years and younger in the home about the communication practices of their dentists and staff. Five questions from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey were included in a random digit dial telephone survey administered in March and April 2010. A total of 803 surveys were completed with adults 18-65 years of age who had a child in their home 6 years of age and younger. Land and cell phones were used. The analysis included frequencies, percentages, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression. The response rate was 24%. Overall, those with higher levels of education and women were more likely to respond favorably about the communication practices of their dentist and staff. Respondents whose child was insured with Medicaid/State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) were less likely to respond favorably. Medicaid/SCHIP recipients are the individuals with the greatest dental disease and in need of preventive information and regimens for themselves and for their children. Spending time with patients and providing them with accurate information in a manner that patients feel respected and listened to contributes to the patient’s ability to understand and act upon this information. Thus, these communication practices are pivotal to increasing oral health literacy and decreasing dental disparities.
Ask the Expert: Group urges pregnant women to maintain good dental care
BALTIMORE, MD (September 19, 2012) With so many things to think about, expectant mothers sometimes neglect their teeth, but this can have implications for their unborn babies. In response, the advocacy group Maryland Dental Action Coalition is educating women about proper oral hygiene and dietary habits through an effort called Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids. The group’s aim is to develop good habits by mothers and children and to reduce early childhood cavities, said Dr. Winifred J. Booker, an Owings Mills pediatric dentist who has served on several state committees and professional organizations and is currently a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. READ MORE
Congratulations to the Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids oral health literacy campaign!
The Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids TV ad won a “Silver” Telly Award in the public service category! The silver award is the highest award offered in this competition. The 33rd annual Telly Awards honors the finest film and video productions, groundbreaking web commercials, videos and films, and outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs. There were over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. The mission of the Telly awards is to strengthen the visual arts community by inspiring, promoting, and supporting creativity.
The Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids oral health literacy campaign also won a Videographer Award of Distinction from The Videographer Awards, an international competition designed to recognize excellence in Video Productions, TV Commercials/ News/ Programs and Digital Media. The mission of the Videographer Awards is to provide meaningful recognition to hard-working, creative companies, individuals and their clients. The Videographer Awards competition is sponsored by ProductionHUB.com, the world’s largest and most active production industry search site.
Keeping up oral health during pregnancy
BALTIMORE, MD (August 20, 2012) - Good oral health is always something to practice, but especially so for pregnant women.
Doctors said expectant women often experience bleeding gums because of an increased volume of blood during pregnancy. “When I floss and brush, which I do every day, there’s a little more bleeding of my gums than usual. The dentist at my checkup noticed the same thing,” said Emily Fisher, who’s expecting a child in the next few months.
“If you are having problems with it, take care of it prior to pregnancy. If you are currently pregnant, make sure you go see your dentist on a regular basis to have them take care of the problem,” said Mercy Medical Center’s Dr. Robert Atlas. READ MORE
National Ad Council launches 2min2x.org
The new Kids’ Healthy Mouths campaign launched on August 13, 2012. The AAPHD helped developed this campaign, along with the Ad Council and the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives, and many other partners. The campaign is a groundbreaking multimedia effort that aims to educate parents and caregivers about the importance of a healthy mouth and motivate them to modify their children’s behaviors through simple, low-cost, preventive strategies. The campaign is primarily aiming to reach parents and caregivers of children 0-12 years of age, with an emphasis on low income and minority (Hispanic and African American) parents and caregivers, and highlights that it only takes brushing two minutes, twice a day to help prevent severe tooth pain.
PRESS RELEASE - the Press Release offers a sneak peak of the PSA’s!
This campaign is the first in the Ad Council’s 70 year history to address oral health. The Ad Council is distributing the new PSAs to more than 33,000 media outlets nationwide and the ads will air and run in advertising time and space entirely donated by the media. Several media companies have committed to supporting the PSAs prior to their launch.
To help support the effort, visit the online toolkit, which has a number of helpful resources related to the campaign.
Brushing Their Teeth Until Scooby-Doo Says Time’s Up
New York, NY (August 13, 2012) The Advertising Council wants to encourage children to brush their teeth — by giving them something to watch while they do it.
The plan is part of a new multimedia public service campaign to promote oral health among children, with support from the council and a coalition of over 30 dental organizations. The campaign is directed primarily at parents and caregivers in low-income families, and stresses how important it is for their children to brush their teeth for two minutes twice daily. Read More…
Teach Me How To Brushy
The Oregon Dental Association’s “Teach Me How To Brushy” video has over 700,000 views! Have you seen it? Check it out.
Making Wall Street Pay and the Nation Smile
BALTIMORE, MD (June 16, 2012) - What’s this? Someone wants to make Wall Street traders put up billions of dollars for the millions of elderly and poor Americans and veterans who do not have sufficient insurance for dental care? Somebody wants to put a $2.50 fee on every $10,000 of Wall Street trading — on derivatives, credit default swaps, stocks and bonds — and put the money into a comprehensive dental program to improve the nation’s oral health? READ MORE
Although MDAC wrote a letter to the editor in response to this article, to date it has not been published. Click here to read the letter.
To view a letter to the editor that was published, visit this page. The writer is David Jordan from Boston, MA; he is the dental access project director for the advocacy group Community Catalyst.
Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids ads were featured in many bus shelters around Baltimore City!
Photograph: Nicole Jones (North Ave. & Howard St )
Photograph: Nicole Jones (Charles St. & 33rd St.)
BALTIMORE, MD (March 23, 2012) /PRNewswire/ - Tooth decay is the single most common childhood disease nationwide, yet it is completely preventable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this problem is nearly three times as prevalent among underserved children.[1] While Maryland is considered a national leader in addressing children’s dental health needs, too many children eligible for dental care through the state’s Medicaid program still have not accessed dental care services.
Delaying or skipping dental treatment, or not incorporating proper oral hygiene and dietary practices, can increase a child’s chances for pediatric oral disease, which can lead to serious long-term repercussions including malnourishment, learning delays, behavioral problems, or in extreme cases—death.[2]
Designed by Rebecca McCurdy
To stem the dangerous risks associated with childhood oral disease, today the Maryland Dental Action Coalition (MDAC), supported by a strategic alliance with the Maryland Office of Oral Health, announced the launch of the “Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids” campaign targeting pregnant women and children from birth to 6 years old.
“In 2007, 12 year-old Deamonte Driver tragically died from an untreated tooth infection,” said Anthony G. Brown, Maryland Lt. Governor and Chair of the Maryland Health Quality and Cost Council. “Since then, Maryland has been committed to improving pediatric oral healthcare for all children ― especially those who are underserved. ‘Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids’ is one more important resource to help inform families in need about potentially life-saving dental care.” READ MORE…
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