- 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. 2, issue 4
May 2007
Introduction
Happy spring! In this issue check out the latest report on children's oral health, read about upcoming events in May and this month's partner spotlight.
New Report Released on Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Young Children
The link between children's oral health and school readiness is highlighted in an exciting new report, Improving Oral Health Care for Young Children, by the National Academy for State Health Policy. The report outlines the workforce and financing challenges to improving oral health care access for young children but also lays out promising creative models occurring in states like Washington, Michigan and North Carolina. Some of the report's recommendations include: increasing reimbursements rates to adequate levels for dental services in Medicaid and SCHIP, reimbursing pediatric providers for oral health screenings and making dental services a mandatory benefit that is required as part of well-child check ups. Also highlighted are community and school-based preventive programs such as fluoride varnish, screening, and sealant programs as ways to increase oral health care access. We like the sound of that! To check out the full report (PDF) click here.
Save the Date! Lawrence Oral Health Initiative Planning Meeting, May 18th
Lawrence Heritage State Park, 3rd Floor Meeting Room, 2-3:30pm
An exciting, new city-wide oral health initiative in Lawrence is taking shape! In the past several months, Lawrence residents, advocates, and health professionals have been banding together to make oral health a community priority. Join the conversation on May 18th to discuss the needs of and plans for this initiative aimed at filling existing gaps in care in the city. For more information, contact Gene Declercq: declercq@bu.edu.
Upcoming Events in May
Children's Mental Health Bill Hearing and Advocacy Day, Gardner Auditorium, State House, May 7th 11am - The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee will be hearing an Act Expanding and Improving Children's Behavioral Health Services in the Commonwealth HB 1872 sponsored by Representative Ruth Balser and SB 1133 sponsored by Senator Steven Tolman. For more information on the Children's Mental Health Campaign, click here or contact Mindy Cohen at: mcohen@hcfama.org or 617-275-2939.
For the People Against the Tide: A Celebration of Health Care Leaders
The Hynes Convention Center, Boston, May 7th from 4:45-8pm
Health Care For All's annual fundraiser honors leaders committed to improving health care access in Massachusetts. This year's awardees include Speaker of the House Salvatore DiMasi who will receive the President's Award for Outstanding Leadership for championing health reform. Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award will be William Van Faasen, Chairman of MA Blue Cross Blue Shield, who created the Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA Foundation and is a leading advocate for universal coverage. To register, click here. For more information, please contact Marla Stein at 617-275-2926 or stein@hcfama.org.
Watch Your Mouth Massachusetts is supported by grants from the Oral Health Foundation and Dental Services of Massachusetts.
Watch Your Mouth Coalition.
