Smiles Across America® (SAA) partners have

kicked-off another school year, ready to bring

needed oral health care to students across the

country. Several programs are preparing to

expand their services, including an SAA partner

in Portland, Maine. The Children’s Oral Health

Program recently received a grant from OHA

to expand the health center currently at King

Middle School, with renovations completed just

before the current school year.

“The renovation has been in the works for more

than a year, so we are very excited that it finally

happened!” said Kathy Martin, coordinator for

the Children’s Oral Health Program. The on-site

center offers sealants, prophys, and fluoride

treatments and is working with Community

Dental to have a dentist at the center.

In Colorado, SAA Partner, Kids In Need of

Dentistry (KIND) is celebrating a different

achievement—their 100th anniversary.

“I am extremely grateful to be a part of this

amazing organization and all of the individuals

from staff, the Board of Trustees, volunteers,

donors, agencies, and families who have

made a significant impact on KIND. Making a

difference in a child’s smile is what Kids In Need

of Dentistry (KIND) is all about,” said Executive

Director Julie Collett.

SAA increases access to dental services in school-

based and school-linked settings for 400,000

children most at risk for developing dental disease.

SAA identifies promising, local community efforts

and supports the development and expansion

of programs, with an emphasis on disease

prevention. SAA supports community efforts

through grant funding, donated dental product

and by providing technical assistance.

To stay up-to-date on everything going on with

SAA, visit OHA’s website and sign up for our

monthly enewsletter.

This August, the Partnership for Healthy

Mouths, Healthy Lives coalition, in

partnership with the Ad Council, Grey

Advertising, and Wing, launched the

Kids’ Healthy Mouths campaign. OHA

committed to a leadership role within

the coalition, which includes 35 dental

organizations, and we are proud to be

a part of this groundbreaking effort to

encourage parents and caregivers to

emphasize the importance of oral health

for children. Visit 2MIN2X.ORG for

a peek at the PSAs and to learn more

about the campaign and how you can

get involved.

With gratitude for your continued support,

Marking Milestones With Smiles

ORAL HEALTH AMERICABRINGING HEALTHY MOUTHS TO LIFE

FALL 201 2

ORALHEALTHAMERICA.ORG

President and CEO

DEAR FRIENDS OF OHA,

THE WISDOM TOOTH PROJECT PORTAL IS OFFICIALLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION

After much planning and consideration, OHA is thrilled to announce that the Wisdom Tooth Project® portal is on its way. Blue State Digital began construction on the site in August, with a beta version expected

to be available late this year. The portal aims to provide oral health information to the American public specifically about

care of geriatric patients. A special thank you to the DentaQuest Foundation, the principal donor for the WTP, for providing

the funds that make this possible. Members of the Special Care Dentistry Association and the American Dental Hygienists’

Association are busy writing articles to populate the site with content. To keep up with the production of the site or if you are

interested in providing content, visit the Wisdom Tooth Project webpage at ORALHEALTHAMERICA.ORG

The Wisdom Tooth Project® Funds Oral Medicine Pilot

With the help of Ivoclar Vivadent, Oral Health America

provided the University at Buffalo School of Dental

Medicine (UBSDM) a $15,000 seed grant to pilot a series

of Oral Medicine Clinics for adults. The clinics began in

January 2012, and will run through December 2012. On

Saturday, September 8, OHA joined UBSDM along with

Ivoclar Vivadent to witness the inspiring work provided to

the Buffalo community.

Led by Dean Michael Glick and Dr. Paul Creighton, the

mission of the clinic is to bridge the oral health care of

medically complex patients, linking the foundational

knowledge of medicine with dentistry. The focus is on the

diagnosis and management of medically related disorders

or conditions affecting the oral and maxillofacial region.

Dental-trained clinicians work closely with other medical

and dental specialists to provide the best quality of care

using a multidisciplinary approach.

Patients are warmly welcomed into the clinic by UBSDM’s

Team Smiles and are directed to several different

stations. Depending upon the needs of the patient, they

have access to dental professionals, including general

dentists, oral surgeons and hygienists; medical doctors;

a pharmacologist; and a diabetes educator. At the

completion of their visit, they have the opportunity to

meet with a social worker from the CARES (Counseling

Advocacy Referral Education Service) Program to discuss

the continuation of their care, their concerns and any

barriers that might be present.

IMPROVING ORAL HEALTH IN BUFFALO, NY

“OHA’s Wisdom Tooth Project is committed to connecting

communities with resources to meet the oral health needs of

the growing older adult population. After witnessing firsthand

the success of the clinic, OHA is thrilled to expand this project.”

- BETH TRUETT, PRESIDENT AND CEO, ORAL HEALTH AMERICA

“We are very proud to be part of Oral Health America’s Wisdom

Tooth initiative. I truly believe that we as a profession need

to stand up and take action for our elderly population. People

who have helped others all their lives now need help. Piloting a

project here in our home town with OHA and the University at

Buffalo Dental School has been especially gratifying.”

- GEORGE TYSOWSKY, VICE PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY, IVOCLAR VIVADENT

This year’s National Spit Tobacco Education Program® (NSTEP) slogan contest winner was

Stone Huffman from Mechanicsburg, Pa., who coined the

phrase, “Let’s play ball, you make the call . . . don’t chew

tobacco!” Stone won a trip with his family to the Little

League World Series, throwing out the first pitch at

Tuesday afternoon’s games. Congratulations, Stone!

TOBACCO STRIKES OUT WITH NSTEP & THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES

Making a planned gift can be a wonderful way to support Oral Health America and make an impact.

A planned gift from the late Bernard and Kathleen Beazley now

funds an internship program in their names, which provides one

rising undergraduate senior a unique experience with public

health dentistry and oral health leadership each summer. For

information about making a planned gift, contact Development

Director Brad McLoughlin at (312) 836-9900.

LEAVING A LEGACY OF HEALTHY SMILES

Aspen Dental is currently conducting an online survey of

licensed dentists, asking about career decision-making. For every

survey completed, Aspen will donate $3 to OHA. Keep an eye out

for this survey and help OHA bring healthy mouths to life!

HELP OHA , TAKE A SURVEY!

P R I N T I N G G E N E R O U S LY D O N AT E D BY:

Family Economic Security and Oral Health Oral Health America, the Dental Trade Alliance (DTA), and nearly 100 supporters

assembled on Capitol Hill on Sept. 12 to address the impact of our nation’s

economy on the overall health and well-being of American families. The event

is part of Fall for Smiles, OHA’s annual communications campaign that educates

Americans about healthy food choices, avoiding tobacco, brushing and flossing

twice daily and visiting a dental professional at least twice yearly.

According to a survey commissioned by OHA and sponsored by Oral Healthcare

Can’t Wait and Procter & Gamble, Americans are more likely to take a pain killer

for a toothache than to consult a dentist, making this year’s campaign and Capitol

Hill event even more critical. At the event, OHA and the DTA recognized U.S.

Senator Robert Mendez (D-NJ) for his leadership in policy changes that help

emphasize the importance of oral health throughout the country.

For more information about Fall for Smiles visit:

ORALHEALTHAMERICA.ORG/FALLFORSMILES

OHA GATHERS SUPPORTERS ON CAPITOL HILL

Oral Health America is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization.

Your gift is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

DONATE TODAY AT

WWW.ORALHEALTHAMERICA.ORG

180 North Michigan Ave. Ste. 1150 Chicago, Illinois 60601

BRINGING HEALTHY MOUTHS TO LIFE FALL NEWSLETTER WWW.ORALHEALTHAMERICA.ORG

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Oral Health America Smile4Health

DR. MARTIN DROZDOWICZ

Dr. Martin Drozdowicz has been a practicing dentist for 37 years and initially heard about OHA through his work with the American Dental Association in the early 1990s. “I think it’s important that people know about dentistry and get involved with it, and I think it’s a worthy cause to assist people that don’t have access to dentistry.”

ARTHUR A. DUGONI“I think OHA has been doing an exceptional job of carrying out its mission and serving the needs of oral health in this country,” said Dr. Arthur Dugoni, dean emeritus of the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry at the University of the Pacific and past OHA board member. “When I looked at many of OHA’s projects, they were all in best interest of oral health and of the citizens of United States.”

VISIT WWW.ORALHEALTHAMERICA.ORG

AND DONATE TODAY

A MESSAGE FROM OUR DONORS: