G-2101-16625

This investment is to support the 2021 Missouri Oral Health Policy conference hosted by the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health. The theme of this year’s conference is “Driving Innovation – Meeting Challenges” and was held virtually in early March of 2021. Some topics presented include: Medicaid expansion, health equity, rural children in crisis, and prevention in action through dental sealants. Additionally, Caroline McLeod from CareQuest Institute facilitated a panel on teledentistry. The conference also included poster presentations on population oral health, dental public health, and oral health policy. They offered free enrollment to students attending dental, social justice, public health or policy programs. This is the only conference in Missouri focused on oral health policy issues and is designed to equip Missourians to be oral health advocates and change agents. This investment through the Executive Director’s Fund of $2,500 would go directly toward conference costs including the virtual platform and speaker fees.