2023 Pennsylvania Oral Health Summit
By Kathleen Bumpers , Government Relations Manager
The 2023 Pennsylvania Oral Health Summit took place November 16 and 17 in Harrisburg . There were 135 attendees , including PDA members and staff . The agenda for the summit included a Keynote Address , presentations and panel discussions , and small group / round table discussions .
Healthcare equity was the theme for the summit , including the difference between equality and equity in healthcare ; rather than focusing on ensuring that everybody receives the exact same accommodations in healthcare , recognizing that every patient has different needs that must be met . The Keynote Speaker , Dr . Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew , spoke on equity and inclusion and how being aware of the difference between equality and equity can lead to greater inclusion outcomes .
Presenters and panelists spoke on various aspects of the oral health delivery system and ways the current system in not working , from use of the emergency department for dental emergencies to various access to care issues . Dr . Olivia Sheridan from Penn Dental Medicine spoke about trauma and how it plays an important role in patient care . Following each presentation , each table engaged in small group discussions about the information presented .
Officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Department of Human Services , including Human Services Secretary Valerie Arkoosh , Public Health Dental Director Dr . Jonise McDaniel , Chief Dental Officer Dr . Sean Shamloo and Chief Medical Officer Dr . David Kelly , spoke to the Commonwealth ’ s commitment to improving access to oral health for all Pennsylvanians , and initiatives undertaken to try to improve that access .
While the data presented paints a bit of a bleak picture for the oral health of Pennsylvanians if everything continues status quo , presenters also addressed how improvements to the current workforce , and investing in pipelines that will feed into the oral health workforce could be a potential solution in helping to make oral health more accessible .
The key message to take away from the summit is that there is no single solution to fixing the oral healthcare delivery system in Pennsylvania . There are numerous issues , and it is going to take a collaborative effort from all provider groups and stakeholders to help ensure an equitable healthcare delivery system in the years to come .
Leading Change for Oral Health in Pennsylvania
For more information about the Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health , and the Oral Health Summit , visit paoralhealth . org .
20 JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2024 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL