Dental News - AGD adopts joint consensus statement on oral health literacy

AGD adopts joint consensus statement on oral health literacy

Top row (left to right): Joseph Battaglia, MS, DMD, FAGD, chair, AGD Legislative & Governmental Affairs Council; Myron Bromberg, DDS, division coordinator, AGD Advocacy/Representation Division; Tawana Lee-Ware, DDS, MSD, immediate past president, American Association of Women Dentists; Darryn Weinstein, DDS, MBA, MPH, assistant dean for clinical education, Midwestern University, American Association of Public Health Dentistry; Alexis Cole, JD, interim director of outreach and advocacy, American Dental Education Association; David Krol, MD, MPH, FAAP, chair, oral health section, American Academy of Pediatrics; Keith Suchy, DDS, regent, USA ICD District 8, International College of Dentists; Jeffrey Hicks, DDS, director-at-large, Special Care Dentistry Association; Steven Chan, DDS, president-elect, American College of Dentists; John Rutkauskas, MS, DDS, MBA, CAE, chief executive officer, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; Lindsey Robinson, DDS, 13th District trustee, American Dental Association; and Rocky Napier, DMD, member, AGD Dental Practice Council. Bottom row (left to right): W. Mark Donald, DMD, MAGD, AGD president-elect; Niveditha Rajagopalan, vice president, American Student Dental Association; W. Carter Brown, DMD, FAGD, AGD president; James Richeson, DDS, FAGD, moderator; and Alice Horowitz, PhD, research associate professor, University of Maryland School of Public Health. (Photo: AGD)

Dental Tribune USA

Wed. 10 June 2015

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CHICAGO, Ill, USA: The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) recently adopted a statement on oral health literacy. The statement is the work product of the Oral Health Literacy Symposium, which was held by the AGD April 24 in Chicago. The AGD hosted 10 allied organizations whose objective was to produce a consensus statement on oral health literacy.

“The AGD was honored to host our distinguished colleagues for this symposium, and we are pleased to announce that the AGD Board of Trustees has adopted this important consensus statement,” said AGD President W. Carter Brown, DMD, FAGD.

Organizations in attendance at the event included the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Public Health Dentistry, American Association of Women Dentists, American College of Dentists, American Dental Association, American Dental Education Association, American Student Dental Association, International College of Dentistry, and the Special Care Dentistry Association. The AGD also welcomed Alice Horowitz, PhD, research associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, as a guest expert on oral health literacy.

The statement reads as follows:

Oral health literacy is an integral component of every individual’s health and well-being. The undersigned organizations recommend addressing this critical issue in accordance with the following principles:

1. Oral health literacy is the foundation of a lifetime of wellness and must be integrated into all educational and wellness programs.

2. Oral health literacy is a shared responsibility across all sectors.

3. Critical to the advancement of oral health literacy is an established dental home.

4. The dental profession will lead the advancement of oral health literacy, in collaboration with other health professionals.

5. Governmental and private resources dedicated to improving oral health should be strategically directed toward programs that further oral health literacy.

(Source: Academy of General Dentistry)

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