Dear Oral Health Section Members,

It has been an exciting two years as chair of this Oral Health Section of APHA.  A phrase that I always think of that providers use in oral health is “Open Wide.”  I offer my sincere gratitude and thanks to every one of you that did open wide your hearts and mind, and welcomed and supported me in the role of chair.  You gave your guidance, suggestions and enthusiasm, valuable time and wisdom helping the Section align and speak out on issues of access, scope of practice, and fluoridation.  Many of you worked together to review and revise policies, summarize current membership lists and reach out to prospective new members, and take on issues of both national and professional standards to assure access by improving the system.  Myron Allukian has organized information and eloquently spoken on the Alaska Dental Aide Therapist initiative on behalf of the Section.

There are several additional people that I want to give special recognition to.  I was told when I was nervous in the beginning, “Get a good secretary.”  Well, I was fortunate to have the BEST in Kathy Lituri.  She has been an amazing, tireless, good-natured, detail-oriented, and comprehensive team player.  She works well with incoming Chair Howard Pollick, who has stepped in has been helping to lead and connect.  They will provide a smooth, seamless transition, with a great sense for continuity.

The Annual Meeting always excites people, whether it involves submitting papers and posters for presentation, or screening those submitted.  Special recognition goes to Oscar Arevalo for his leadership organizing the annual meeting for two years in a row while he personally changed jobs and changed locations.  There are so many details. Then there was Hurricane Katrina that required a major shift and relocation of the 2005 conference to a new city. 

Preparation for the Annual Meeting gives us a chance to look at our current membership and outreach to new members.  It also gives a chance to review and update our current policies.  Amos Deinard took on both of these two major efforts, and he can report the committee’s finding at the business meeting. Great job, Amos.

Alice Horowitz is now on the editorial board for the American Journal of Public Health, and we are assured that she will always have positive influence on the topics and articles presented and  have sensitivity to the issues of creating improved dental health systems.

And I need to recognize Tim Cooke and the amazing job that he has done with getting a newsletter together and out as well as a Web site for the Section.  He will be greatly missed, and we all wish him and his wife a safe and exciting journey as they travel.  We are inviting someone “out there” to give a call and let us know that you are interested in filling is this vital area of communication for the Section.

As a nurse, I have had great connections with nurses in my community, and nationally through APHA sections, getting involved in identification and prevention of oral disease.  Posters in the Oral Health Section are being submitted by nurses in their partnership roles with health centers and clinics. I represented the Oral Health Section of APHA at the American Academy of Pediatrics “Partnership to Reduce Oral Health Disparities in Early Childhood” (PROHD) Grant at a meeting June 15-16,  2006 in Washington, D.C.

Of course there are so many more of you doing great work that I have not mentioned by name.  I look forward to celebrating our efforts and accomplishments at the Annual Meeting.  We’ll get to recognize a great leader in Tony Jong and initiate an award in his name recognizing talent in the field of dental health.  We’ll have our traditional awards as well.  I look forward to the networking and camaraderie of the meeting.

With best wishes to all.  Sincere thanks for your life time commitments and the inspiring work that you do.  See you at APHA!