• 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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New!Check out the Watch Your Mouth television advertisement, airing around the state right now! Preview the ad at full size. (Download QuickTime player.)








Newsletter

Vol. 4, issue 4
April 2009

Upcoming Events

Spring is officially here! Celebrate the warm(er) weather by keeping yourself updated on current oral health articles and events. We also invite you to share upcoming oral health events in your community with us by contacting Czarina at biton@hcfama.org. We'll make sure to feature your event in next month's newsletter.

In this issue, we share new information regarding the expanded health and dental benefits in the COBRA program, ask you to celebrate National Public Health Week by writing a letter to the editor to your local paper, highlight a report on the status of elder oral health in Boston, and feature our partner of the month, the Massachusetts Dental Society. Don't forget to check out upcoming events and new resources on the left side of the page.

Recent Changes to the COBRA Program Provide Unemployed Americans With Opportunities

cobra changes

America's economic forecast has been far from positive in recent months. Many of our friends and neighbors are facing financial hardships such as rising health care costs and job loss. Improving public structures that support our communities is truly what makes America an advanced and responsible nation. One way that President Obama and his administration are working to address the needs of our communities is by amending The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), a federal program that provides health insurance to the recently unemployed.

The changes in COBRA mean that newly unemployed workers in Massachusetts will see a dramatic drop in their monthly health insurance premiums. Individuals who lost their jobs between September 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009 and are eligible for the COBRA subsidy, will expands health and dental insurance benefits. In addition, Massachusetts' Medical Security Plan will also provide additional support for COBRA eligible participants. Massachusetts is the only state to provide financial assistance to unemployed individuals. By ensuring that subsidies are available, individuals do not have to choose to forgo medical and dental care just to meet their daily financial needs. Continuity of care also means that individuals have an equal start to a healthy and productive life.

These recent federal and state opportunities for through COBRA display government's initiative to improve the prosperity of our nation during tough economic times. They recognize that temporary relief is necessary to provide individuals with the resources to recover and bounce back from their losses.

Click here to learn more about changes in COBRA

National Public Health Week is from April 6-12!

national public health week

Every April since 1995, the American Public Health Association has organized the National Public Health Week campaign to educate the public, policy-makers and practitioners on important public health issues. This week also serves as a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight the issues that are important to improving the health status of our communities.

This month, join the Watch Your Mouth campaign in celebrating National Public Health Week by speaking up on the importance of oral health as part of overall health. We ask you to speak up for children's oral health by writing a letter to the editor (LTE) to your local paper on why public health matters to you and your community. To help guide you, we have written some tips and talking points that will help you get started. If you need more help, don't hesistate to contact Czarina with Watch Your Mouth campaign at: biton@hcfama.org or 617.275.2838.

Check out the National Public Health Week website

Demand for Oral Health Care Among Elders Continue to Increase

smiling seniors

Massachusetts is well-known for its commitment to public health. Our communities thrive when there are programs available to improve the health and quality of life of its residents. In 2002, the Boston Public Health Commission experienced a sharp increase in requests for oral health care among the elderly population. In response to this increased need for care, the BPHC created the Oral Health Equity Project (OHEP). This innovative program focuses on increasing access to preventive and restorative oral health care services for elders living in Boston's public housing.

We know that dental disease has a serious impact on overall health and well-being. Decades of research have confirmed associations between dental diseas and chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease. OHEP has recently released a report on the status of elder oral health in Boston. They found that although most of the participants had health insurance, 4 out of 5 elders reported not having dental insurance. As our population continues to live longer, we can expect that the demands for elder oral health services will only continue to grow. The report recommends the following steps Boston needs to take to build the infrastructure necessary to address the oral health needs of our elders:

improve the availability of oral health services to increase access and utilization continue the awareness of oral health issues create a structure to finance oral health

This report is not yet available on the web. To obtain a copy of Elder Oral Health in Boston report, please contact the Boston Public Health Commission at (617) 534-4717

Learn more about OHEP

April Partner Spotlight: Massachusetts Dental Society

By Scott Davis, Chief Communications Officer

Massachusetts Dental Society

The Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) is a recognized leader for the enhancement of oral health and the profession. MDS is dedicated to improving the oral health of the public and professional development of its membership through initiatives in education, advocacy, and promotion of the highest professional standards. MDS is also committed to providing the high quality, compassionate oral health care that is accessible by all, and to educate the public regarding the value of oral health as it relates to total well-being. MDS also has initiatives to provide dental care to underserved children in Massachusetts such as the Mobile Access to Care (MAC) Dental Van and the MassDentists CARE program.

Since 2007, the MAC VAN has been traveling to communities targeting areas with the greatest needs and providing dental exams and basic treatment to children. It travels to organizations that serve children from underserved communities, such as Boys and Girls Clubs, Head Start locations, YMCAs, and selected schools.

The MassDentists CARE (Combining Access with Reduced Expense) program provides reduced cost dental care to children through the age of 18 who do not have MassHealth or private insurance. Hundreds of MDS dentists have volunteered for the MassDentists CARE program to provide income eligible children with access to affordable quality dental healthcare services.

This past February, MDS officially launched its Call to ACTION at a news conference held in Nurses Hall, at the State House. MDS members, legislators and their staffs, other state officials, and the news media were among those who filled the room to hear about the Society's plan to improve the oral health of all Massachusetts residents by the year 2013.

The Call to ACTION identifies goals that the MDS hopes to achieve in the next five years in three specific areas: oral health/overall health, access to care, and prevention. This project was overseen over the past year and a half by the MDS Council on Public Affairs and its standing committees on Governmental Affairs and Communications.

For more information on the Call to ACTION, please contact the MDS at (888) MDS-2013 or visit us on the web at www.massdental.org/calltoaction.


Keep your eyes open for the Watch Your Mouth advertorial that will run on the Op-Ed page of the Boston Globe on April 24th.

Thanks,

Czarina



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