DT U.S. Edition, November 2010, Vol. 5, No. 22

By Javier M. De Pisón, Dental Tribune Hispanic and Latin America Edition Campaign to help Haitian dentists is getting results The American Dental Associa- tion’s campaign to rebuild dental practices in Haiti was in full swing at the 2010 Annual Session from Oct. 8–11. In just a few months, the Adopt-a-Practice campaign has col- lected more than $62,000 to help Haitian colleagues who lost their practices in the Jan. 12 earthquake. The goal is to collect a total of $300,000 to rebuild 30 dental offices in Haiti. A clear sign of ADA’s commitment to humanitarian aid is that the asso- ciation designated a special exhibit area to honor volunteer efforts dur- ing the 2010 Annual Session and World Marketplace Exhibition, fea- turing the Adopt-a-Practice: Rebuild- ing Dental Offices in Haiti and Give Kids A Smile programs. Sponsored in part by SS White, the Volunteer Celebration Area on the ADA exhibition floor was a focal point for dental professionals want- ing to learn how to make a differ- ence and a source of information for national and international access-to- care volunteer opportunities. The campaign to help Haitian dentists began when Dental Tribune Hispanic and Latin America brought the president of the Haiti Dental Society, Dr. Samuel Prophete, to ADA headquarters in Chicago during the 2010 Chicago Midwinter Meeting to discuss strategies to repair Haiti’s devastated health practices, initiat- ing the Help Haiti campaign. About 30 dental practices in Port- au-Prince — nearly a third of the city’s dental offices — were dam- aged or destroyed. It’s estimated that approximately $10,000 can help rebuild each practice. Your support is essential The Adopt-A-Practice initiative addresses the need to restore a sustainable system for oral-health delivery in Haiti. A shortage of good dental care already existed before the earthquake in Haiti. Without help, most Haitian den- tists will be unable to rebuild their practices on their own because they don’t have the protection of casualty insurance and their incomes are not comparable to those in more devel- oped countries. With approximately 350 dentists for a population of 9 million, Haiti has the lowest ratio of dentists per capita in the Western hemisphere. Due to the depressed economy in Haiti, even a small contribution can make a difference. New York University School of Dentistry and Henry Schein have already shown their support by donating chairs and sending techni- cians. Nancy Kelly, executive direc- tor of ADA’s Health Volunteers Over- seas, said that several companies have said they will match donations. To donate to Adopt-a-Practice: Rebuilding Dental Offices in Haiti, please contact Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) of the ADA founda- tion at www.hvousa.org or call HVO at (202)-296-0928. For more information you may also contact the ADA Division of Global Affairs at international@ada. org. DT News DENTAL TRIBUNE | November 20104A Chair of the ADA International Development Subcommittee Sally Kelly, left, and Director of Health Volunteers Overseas Nancy Kelly at the Adopt-a-Prac- tice booth in Orlando. (Photo/Javier de Pison, Dental Tribune Hispanic and Latin America Edition) The American Dental Associa- tion (ADA) is extending invitations to those concerned about the oral health of vulnerable older adults and people with disabilities to attend a national conference and help shape the future of oral health care for this underserved and growing population. The national coalition confer- ence, titled Oral Health of Vulner- able Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities, is scheduled for Thurs- day, Nov. 18, at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C. “We look upon this conference as the first step in building a con- sensus among a multi-disciplinary group of professionals in seeking solutions about oral health care for the vulnerable older adult and the disabled,” said Dr. Raymond F. Gist, ADA president. “We are looking for attendees’ ideas, collaboration and support in helping frame the conference’s rec- ommendations that could be used by many sectors, including educational institutions, professional organiza- tions and policy makers.” Professionals concerned about oral health for vulnerable older adults and people with disabili- ties, including dentists and dental hygienists, geriatricians, nurses, oral-health advocates, aging and disability advocates, long-term care providers and policy makers and legislative staff, are encouraged to register for the conference. Dental experts will present top- ics of critical importance in meet- ing the oral-health needs of special populations, including collabora- tion between disciplines, oral-health delivery systems, policy implica- tions, medical-dental considerations and coalition building. Responding to each presentation will be an expert from outside den- tistry, representing geriatric medi- cine, long-term care, aging advo- cacy, state health and policymakers. Active audience participation will follow as attendees have the oppor- tunity to provide input as they dis- cuss the presentations. “The conference is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of oral health care and improve the quality of life for vul- nerable older adults and those with disabilities,” said Gist. “We highly encourage interested professionals to attend.” DT (Source: American Dental Association) ADA conference to seek oral-health solutions for vulnerable older adults (Photo/Christina Deridder, www.dreamstime.com)