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Eight States Earn "A"s in Filling Oral Health CavityOral Health America Reports Progress in Reversing Poor National GradesFebruary 23, 2005 Chicago--Eight states receive “A” grades for their progress promoting oral health in a report card released today by Oral Health America. The report card, “A for Effort,” details innovative programs that have the potential for greatly improving the nation's lackluster overall “C” grade in oral health, the group says. “This report card recognizes outstanding efforts advanced since the U.S. Surgeon General cited oral health as a silent epidemic,” said Robert Klaus, President and CEO of Oral Health America. “If more programs like these are developed and fully funded, America will be well on the way to filling its oral health cavity.” The following programs received “A”s: • Arkansas, for a strong showing by its four-year-old oral health coalition, “Smiles: AR, U.S.,” for bringing oral health to the attention of policymakers, advancing disease prevention through fluoridation efforts and a mandatory school-based oral health curriculum, and the development of a state oral health plan. • California, for expanding community water fluoridation to reach an additional 18 million Southern California residents. The action will reduce cavities by 20 to 40 percent in the affected areas. • California receives a second “A” for a report commissioned by the California Endowment that takes a hard look at workforce diversity and dental education. The report is a comprehensive survey of policymakers' and state dental school officials' opinions on topics including the supply of dentists, state role in diversifying the workplace and dental school recruitment of minorities and rural students. Although there is no consensus in the report for how to achieve diversity, it includes six strategies that the state can take to advance community-based dental education and recruitment of minorities. • Illinois, for mandating that all kindergarteners, second and sixth graders in public, private or parochial schools have a dental exam. Each child is required to show proof of a dental exam during the school year, or the school may hold the child's report card. Waivers are established for children who show an undue burden or lack of access to a dentist. • New Mexico, for collaborative strategies to drive system changes to the delivery of oral health care in this rural state. Through coalition efforts, the governor issued an executive order to make oral health a priority, and state leaders recognize that oral health must be integrated with community-based primary care in order to increase critically needed dental services. A highly supportive legislature, dedicated oral health champions and key coalition partners all increase the likelihood of lasting and profound changes for New Mexico's residents. • New York and New Jersey, for their efforts to educate residents about signs and risk factors associated with oral cancer, and ensure that it is detected early. The Oral Cancer Consortium of 29 health care institutions and professional societies sponsors free annual oral cancer screenings for the public. When the disease is detected early, the five-year survival rate is 80 percent compared with less than 50 percent when found in the later stages. • South Carolina, for the development of a social marketing campaign to educate the public on the importance of oral health. Market research was performed to find out what level of public knowledge exists as well as the best channels for communicating oral health messages. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control initiative, “More Smiling Faces,” is the first statewide attempt at implementing a broad social marketing campaign to improve oral health. If fully funded and implemented, the program can be a model for others to replicate. • Washington, for effectively transferring science into practice through its Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program, which is helping to prevent and control tooth decay among babies and young children, and reduce the need for costly future restorative procedures. The U.S. Army receives Extra Credit for its efforts to combat the effects of massive candy consumption by the troops with xylitol-based chewing gum. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that can prevent tooth decay and recalcify tooth enamel. Sugar free chewing gums and candies made with xylitol as the first listed ingredient have already received official endorsements from six national dental associations. In addition to the Army, several states including Alaska, New Hampshire, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia receive Extra Credit recognition in the report for their efforts to promote oral health. These programs include an effort to improve access to dental care for underserved native American children in rural Alaska, and initiatives to expand fluoridation in Texas and Utah. For a copy of the report detailing the states' efforts, visit www.oralhealthamerica.org . Oral Health America is the nation's premier, fully independent organization dedicated to improving oral health.
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