The Williamsburg Health Foundation presented its annual award during a ceremony at the College of William and Mary Wednesday. The foundation recognized the Virginia Oral Health Coalition for its efforts to raise awareness on a topic often overlooked.
“One of the reasons we do these awards each year is to highlight critical issues around our community,” said Allison Brody, director of community resource development and engagement.
The coalition includes hundreds of partners united in the goal of ensuring accessible, affordable oral health for all Virginians. Efforts include educating providers and raising public awareness.
“Oral health is a critical component of overall health and well-being. But well established systems to support oral health are lacking, which illustrates the significance of how poorly understood the importance of oral health is,” said Carol Sale, foundation president and CEO.
The foundation also celebrated the contributions of local care providers Child Development Resources, the Lackey Clinic, Olde Towne Medical and Dental Center, Norge Dental Center and Thomas Nelson Community College.
During the awards ceremony, coalition CEO Sarah Holland thanked the partners for their work and emphasized the individuals whose lives improved as a result.
“Systemic change is really hard and it’s really long, and it can be discouraging,” she said. “I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate all the wins.”
Numerous factors can stifle one’s ability to maintain a healthy mouth. The Affordable Care Act and Medicaid don’t cover dental care, and veterans’ benefits extend to medical but not dental.
It can be easy to neglect oral health with so many other things going on around the world and in daily life. But where there are many unpreventable trials and tribulations, Holland said oral health care needn’t sit among them.
“This one, we can fix,” she said.
Interested?
For more information, visit williamsburghealthfoundation.org.
