We believe that overall health, including oral health, is a right of all people. Inclusion is the way we liberate the power of diversity, as our greatest ideas and solutions develop from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences. We strive to promote an inclusive environment across our programs and partnerships, fostering belonging, commitment and empowerment. We listen, engage, respect and value diverse partners who invite us to work closely with them to create a new standard for sustainable oral health that helps us achieve health equity for all.
- Preventive dental care is essential for sustainable oral health, however not all people have access to oral health care. Some groups bear a disproportionate burden of poor oral health associated with systemic barriers including social determinants of health in the places where people are born, live, learn, work, and play.
- Some populations do not have private or public dental insurance and cannot pay for dental care and don’t have the freedom to leave work to get to dental care. Others may live in communities where they don’t have fluoridated water, school sealant programs, healthy foods, and transportation to get to dental appointments which may be hours from where they live.
- Removing these and other barriers would provide all people with access to the education, prevention and treatment services required to maintain their oral health and overall health.
