Moving Oral Health Forward: The Coalition Approach
OUR IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES FOR 2017-2019
Today, PCOH remains poised to serve as the dynamic leading voice to improve oral health across the Commonwealth. We believe optimal oral health benefits ALL Pennsylvanians and that it is essential to overall health and wellness. By bringing together oral health advocates and professionals to share the best and most innovative approaches, we have identified strategic priorities to accomplish our collective vision.
Supporting PA Oral Workforce Development Over the past couple years, the PCOH gathered stakeholders to assess the current oral health workforce, address any deficiencies, and identify potential for new ideas to close the gaps in oral health workforce. In November 2016, more than 120 individuals representing many organizations gathered in Harrisburg for a two-day“ Innovation Workforce Summit.” National and state thought leaders presented models and concepts to participants who then transitioned into small breakout groups.
During this event, 17 workforce prototypes were vetted with the idea that several would evolve into innovative models of care that benefit the citizens of Pennsylvania. Leaders and workgroups were assigned to nurture and test the prototypes. To date, more than 10 are still under development. A video highlighting the work and discussion from the workforce summit is available at http:// paoralhealth. org / workforce-prototypes.
Advancing Implementation of the 2020 Oral Health Plan Pennsylvania lacked a formal state oral health plan since 2002. PCOH served on a lead team that wrote a new oral health plan that launched this year. The comprehensive plan outlines steps for moving Pennsylvania’ s oral health forward. The three priorities identified in the plan are access to oral health care, oral health workforce, and oral health infrastructure. Within these three priority areas, there are 10 goals the state must achieve by 2020 and PCOH can help drive that progress. If you would like to learn more, we welcome you to review the full plan on the PCOH website( www. paoralhealth. org). If you would like to support the oral health plan objectives, please contact us to find out how.
Advocating for Community Water Fluoridation Historically, talk of adjusting the fluoride levels in community water supplies has met its fair share of disagreements among all populations. From the oral health perspective, we know that community water fluoridation programs are safe and effective in consistently providing optimally fluoridated water to the most amount of people. To promote the benefits of water fluoridation, PCOH gathered and trained a team of advocates who can share knowledge in public meetings and local fluoride task forces. These individuals are deployed into communities to deliver science-based information and resources with stakeholders and decision-makers. This advocacy team also actively monitors and counters anti-fluoridation efforts across the state.
Beginning in 2018, PCOH will focus on developing sound relationships with local water authorities and the Department of Environmental Protection( DEP). Currently, municipalities are legally required to publish alerts related to fluoridation status adjustments just 30 days prior to implementing a change. PCOH will be advocating to extend that time period to allow adequate time to defend community water fluoridation programs by educating stakeholders on the research-proven value it delivers to citizens.
40 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL