• Watch Your Mouth Massachusetts: The Watch Your Mouth Coalition Is Working In Massachusetts, New Hampshire And Maine To Make Children's Oral Health A Priority. Objectives of the Watch Your Mouth Coalition are to Educate the public that tooth decay is the most common childhood disease that can cause diminished school performance and poor overall health. WYM advocates for wider access to preventive services, such as dental sealants and fluoride, and regular dental exams for all children.
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Newsletter

Vol. 3, issue 2
February 2008

February Events

Greetings!

Not all Heroes are make believe

Greetings!

February is Children's Dental Health Month- a month where advocates across the nation raise awareness of the nation's most common chronic disease of childhood, dental decay. You can celebrate Children's Dental Health Month by attending Watch Your Mouth's 3rd Annual Oral Health Heroes on February 14, a celebration to honor legislators and community leaders committed to children's oral health. Read on to learn more about this event and to RSVP. Also in this month's newsletter, the findings of Catalyst Institute's new report on the status of children's oral health in Massachusetts is revealed. We will also continue to build our framing skills by understanding the power of numbers and learn about Healthy Smiles Dental Fair, an event organized by our coalition partner from North Quabbin. Last but not least, Kate Vaughan, Manager of Oral Health Initiatives, has a special announcement that she wishes to share with you all.

RSVP now to the 3rd Annual Oral Health Heroes Event

February is Children's Dental Health month, and the Watch Your Mouth Campaign invites you to RSVP for the Third Annual Oral Health Heroes Event on February 14, a celebration to honor legislators, community leaders and organizations that have improved the state of oral health in Massachusetts. Guests are welcome. Please share the love and spread the word to your networks to increase our presence at the State House.

To RSVP, please contact Czarina at biton@hcfama.org or 617.275.2838. See you at the State House on February 14! RSVP Today!

New Report Focuses on the Oral Health of Massachusetts' Children

report

Last month the Catalyst Institute released a report that provided Massachusetts with the most in-depth look at children's oral health that we've seen in decades. This report entitled, "The Oral Health of Massachusetts' Children" focused on the impact that dental decay has on the lives of our children. This report tells us that while our hard work on improving oral health for children has paid off in increased access to preventive measures, we still have a long way to go to keep all of our children free of dental disease. The tried and true, common sense solutions that we advocate for are essential to preventing and treating childhood dental disease.

This report serves as an important reminder; we still have a ways to go before we can declare victory on dental disease. We have the solutions to prevent this disease and yet more than one in four children in Massachusetts enters school with a history of dental decay. By approaching this issue with community and state-wide solutions - providing access to screenings, fluoride, sealants and other preventative measures - we can virtually eliminate dental disease and give our children the healthy childhood that they deserve. Read the full report

The Storytelling Power of Numbers

numbers

When writing a report, most people's gut reaction is to emphasize the data and statistics to demonstrate what the problem is. This is effective, but limited because numbers don't interpret or frame your issue to help the audience understand the impact of the problem, now does it mobilize people to do something about it. There is nothing worse than a misinterpreted data, but if you let data stand on its own, it will be subject to misinterpretation. According to Frameworks Institute, it's not numbers versus stories; it's about using both aspects to advance social issues.

The take away lesson is that there are rules to using data and statistics when trying to frame your side of the issue. To read about these rules, click here. With these tips and some practice, you too will soon add meaning to your reports. Read the full article.

Save the Date: March 8, 2008 is the 6th Annual "Healthy Smiles" Dental Fair

children playing

The 6th Annual 'Healthy Smiles' Dental Fair is on March 8, 2008 from 10 - 2 at the Athol-Orange Elks Lodge in Orange. Organized by the North Quabbin Community Coalition's Dental Task Force, and sponsored and supported by many area businesses, non-profit agencies and dentists, the Dental Fair has been a huge success in the last 5 years. Sadly, one such supportive dentist, Dr. P. David Muzzey, passed away on January 2, 2008 and the task force has decided to dedicate this year's fair to him, in honor of his passion for preventive dentistry. Also, for the second year, the task force will be honoring North Quabbin Oral Health Heroes, one of which will be Dr. Muzzey. Also to be named NQ Oral Health Heroes will be Rep. Christopher Donelan and Tom Darcy, Information and Service Coordinator for Athol Schools. Funding for the North Quabbin Oral Health Heroes has been provided by the Watch Your Mouth Campaign through Health Care For All.

We look forward to hosting another successful event this year on March 8th and hope to see you all there! If you would like to help sponsor the event or volunteer in some way please contact Stephanie Bachelder, NQCC Dental Task Force Chairperson, at the North Quabbin Community Coalition office (978) 249-3703 or email Stephanie@nqcc.org. Learn more about the North Quabbin Community Coalition

Special Message from Kate Vaughan

kate

Dear friends,

It is with great hope and heavy heart that I write to let you know that I will be leaving Health Care For All in March. The past three and a half years have been enormously rewarding, largely because of the friendships I have made with all of you. I am inspired by the substantial accomplishments we have achieved together in this short time.

I am going to work for the FrameWorks Institute, the non-profit think tank that developed the Watch Your Mouth campaign, and will continue to work on children's oral health along with many other social issues. Thank you very sincerely for teaching me, listening to me and laughing with me over the years. The Watch Your Mouth campaign and the Oral Health Advocacy Taskforce will continue to make great change in Massachusetts with the fantastic staff that we have running it now. I look forward to working with you to make sure this happens.

-Kate

We look forward to seeing you at the State House on February 14th for the Oral Health Heroes Event! Remember to come out and show your support.

Many Thanks,
Czarina Biton





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Watch Your Mouth Massachusetts is supported by grants from the Oral Health Foundation and Dental Services of Massachusetts.
Watch Your Mouth Coalition.