National Academies workshop tackles oral health advancement

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine held a public workshop in Washington, D.C. that explored innovative practices and models for advancing oral health in the U.S. across the lifespan. 

“Advancing Oral Health Across the Lifespan: A Workshop” brought together experts and key stakeholders to discuss the oral diseases affecting vulnerable populations, and examined ways to sustainably implement strategies to reduce disparities and improve oral health.

Workshop attendee Daniel Klemmedson, D.D.S., past ADA president who represented the ADA, said some of the most important discussion points included the economic rationale for global commitment to invest in oral health, as well as an overview of oral health priorities from both federal perspectives and non-federal perspectives. 

Specifically, the workshop tackled national oral health goals for children and adults, sustainable solutions that improve access to oral health services in public and private spaces, models that achieve meaningful oral and systemic health integration, models to empower all consumers to make informed choices related to oral health and models that encourage healthy workplace and school policies, investments in public oral health education campaigns, and future innovations. 

Dr. Klemmedson said each panel tackled a different topic, but many discussed vulnerable populations still slipping through the cracks. 

According to Dr. Klemmedson, there were several hundred attendees, in-person and virtually, who had varied backgrounds ranging from education to government.  
“The advantage of being there was exposure to all the different perspectives from all the different groups who are totally engaged in oral health care. My perspective is different than the perspectives of providers at a [federally qualified health center], for example, or in a medical practice,” he said. 

Some areas of agreement, he said, include the fact that oral health care in America is uneven and greater uniformity would be beneficial. Additionally, most at the workshop agreed that vulnerable populations, such as children, must be engaged where they are and before disease begins. He said collaboration with medical colleagues, early assessment and education, preventative care and non-invasive procedures can all help reduce the burden of disease. 

“Workshops like this allow sharing of clinical, policy and community challenges, frustrations and roadblocks as well as successful interventions, technological or workforce opportunities and policy strategies,” Dr. Klemmedson said. “Most importantly, all attendees can hear and consider the perspectives of others whose focus on oral health care may be different than ours.”

Other attendees representing the ADA include Jessica Robertson, D.M.D., chair of the Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention, and Hillary Homburg, D.D.S., president of the West Virginia Dental Association. 

For more information about the workshop, visit this webpage.