It Takes A Village

Oral Health Advocacy Resources from Other Organizations

As  America’s leading oral health advocate, the ADA works tirelessly to  influence public policies affecting the practice of dentistry and the  oral health of the American public.

In  Washington, D.C., the ADA lobbies Congress and the Administration,  fighting for things that matter to dentists and the patients they serve.  The ADA also provides technical support to help state dental societies  advance their respective policy agendas.

State  and federal legislation and policy affect your career by determining  how and where you can practice dental hygiene. The ADHA supports you and  your interests at the local, state and federal levels by making sure  that legislators and decision makers are aware of your positions on practice issues ranging from direct access to scope of practice and  reimbursement.

We work with policy makers and stakeholders to promote policies that  encourage increased availability of oral health care. In addition, we  assist our state dental hygienists’ associations in their advocacy  efforts to allow dental hygienists to practice to the full extent of  their dental hygiene education and licensure.

Advancing Policy and Systems Change

Changing  our health system isn’t easy, but it is essential. We are committed to  challenging and transforming traditional models of care to ensure that  every person can reach their full potential.

Community  Catalyst is a leading non-profit national health advocacy organization  dedicated to advancing a movement for health equity and justice. We  partner with local, state and national advocates to leverage and build  power so all people can influence decisions that affect their  health. Health systems will not be accountable to people without a fully  engaged and organized community voice. That’s why we work every day to  ensure people’s interests are represented wherever important decisions  about health and health care are made: in communities, state houses and  on Capitol Hill.

Families  USA, a leading national, non-partisan voice for health care consumers,  is dedicated to achieving high-quality, affordable health care and  improved health for all. Our work is driven by and centered around four  pillars: value, equity, coverage, and consumer experience. We view these  focus areas — and the various issues unique to each area — as the  cornerstones of America’s health care system.

Families USA leads the Oral Health for All Campaign,  an intensive, multi-faceted, long-term campaign to expand access to the  oral health coverage that we all need to stay healthy. Our primary  goals are adding oral health coverage to Medicare, which currently excludes dental care, and improving states’ Medicaid adult oral health coverage.

As  the leading voice for Hispanic Oral Health, we provide service,  education-research, advocacy, and leadership for all healthcare  professionals, to promote overall health of the Hispanic/Latinx and  underrepresented communities.

Advocacy  is critical to ensure the continued funding and public support for  community health centers.  Engaging your staff, board, and community  members in advocacy efforts is imperative in order to strengthen the future of your community health center, and others around the country.

NCSL,  founded in 1975, represents the legislatures in the states, territories  and commonwealths of the U.S. Its mission is to advance the  effectiveness, independence and integrity of legislatures and to foster  interstate cooperation and facilitate the exchange of information among  legislatures.

NCSL  also represents legislatures in dealing with the federal government,  especially in support of state sovereignty and state flexibility and  protection from unfunded federal mandates and unwarranted federal  preemption. The conference promotes cooperation between state  legislatures in the U.S. and those in other countries.

The  National Dental Association promotes oral health equity among people of  color by harnessing the collective power of its members, advocating for  the needs of and mentoring dental students of color, and raising the  profile of the profession in our communities.

We are the  Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN). We intentionally engage  with those committed to systems change by investing time, resources,  and brain-power towards our collective HERE.  We know that oral health is vital to overall health, yet there are  barriers in place, which, like locked doors, prevent people from optimal  health. OPEN won’t stand for this failure to live up to our ideals as a  nation by leaving people to unjustly and unnecessarily suffer from  preventable oral health issues. We catalyze a network to take on  America’s oral health challenges so that everyone has an equitable  chance to thrive. We won’t stop until everyone has the keys they need to fully access good oral health.

Pew’s  dental campaign works to close gaps in dental care access by increasing  the number of available providers through the addition of midlevel  practitioners such as dental therapists and expansion of school-based  sealant programs to reach low-income children, who are at the greatest  risk for dental decay.

The  Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID) is a national, non-profit  organization comprised of oral health professionals and students  dedicated to promoting and improving the oral health of the American  Indian/Alaskan Native community and providing advocacy for the American  Indian/Alaskan Native dental professionals across the US.