ADA president thanks HHS for oral health focus

ADA President William Calnon, DDS, has thanked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for including oral health among the leading health indicators used to evaluate America's progress in promoting healthcare objectives in its Healthy People 2020 program.

In a letter to HHS Administrator Kathleen Sebelius, Dr. Calnon told Sebeliues that developing a comprehensive approach to health education, care coordination, and effective prevention is critical to improving the oral health of the underserved.

He also stressed the ADA's guidelines for improving oral health access: emphasizing prevention, improving existing dentistry models, improving coordination between government agencies and programs, and strengthening public-private collaboration.