1512-11695

Little is understood regarding the origins of today’s oral health disparities and the persistent underrepresentation of racial and ethnic groups within the oral health workforce. These concerns coupled with inadequate opportunities for dialogue regarding strategies to achieve equity are the issues that will be addressed through the Oral Health Equity: Understanding the Past and Building the Future Project conducted by the Harvard Medical School, Office of Diversity and Community Partnerships. The propose project has a two part strategy – 1) documentation and capturing of a historical perspective through the use of video and accompanying educational materials and 2) convening of oral health leaders (newer and well established) to discuss strategies for achieving oral health equity that build on a foundation that recognizes the importance of past policies and practices and how they relate to present disparities, as well as an awareness of current politics, policies and practices that provide opportunities and barriers to forward movement and equity attainment. Strategies will build on past meetings such as the inaugural and follow-up meetings of the National Dental Association (NDA), Hispanic Dental Association (HDA), Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID) and the American Dental Association (ADA) in Chicago, Il and Boca Raton, Florida, as well as the 2015 “Succeeding in a Time of Change” meeting convened by the National Dental Association Foundation (NDAF) in Washington, DC. This project is organized under the direction of Joan Y Reede, MD, Dean, Diversity and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical School and Director of the Joseph L. Henry Oral Health Policy Fellowship (OHPF) in Minority Health Policy. The Harvard Medical School, Office of Diversity and Community Partnerships is requesting President’s Fund support in the amount of $25,000 to commence with this project.