Greetings, from your Section Chairs:  

These are challenging times for public health and oral public health, whether in the local, state, academic or national setting. Speak up and speak out to let decision makers know the value public health efforts bring to improving oral health. We encourage you to stay active in APHA and the Oral Health Section; we can be part of a larger voice. Thanks to our Editor, Jay W. Friedman, for this informative and interesting Newsletter issue.

Annual Meeting: We are looking forward to seeing those of you attending our next Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 2011. Kathy Lituri and the Program Planning Committee have developed an engaging and informative program that is simply outstanding. Thanks to Kathy and all who have helped in creating a superb scientific program. The program and activities are displayed later in this Newsletter as well as online at the APHA website.

    If you haven’t registered yet, please join us! We especially invite you to attend the Knutson and Jong Awards ceremony and Oral Health Section Dinner on Monday night, and the Oral Health Business Meeting (our general Section business meeting for all members) on Tuesday evening. These are great opportunities to meet your fellow Section members and learn more about the Section’s activities.

    The Section leadership will also be meeting on Sunday morning; this meeting is open to Section members, but the focus is more on the business and planning decisions of the officers and Section Council.

    While at the Annual Meeting, please visit the Oral Health Section booth and, even better, help staff it. See the notice below in the Newsletter on volunteering to staff the booth.

Awards: During the Awards Ceremony Monday, Oct. 31, we will be presenting several awards. Robert Isman, DDS, MPH, will receive the 2011 John W. Knutson Distinguished Service Award in Dental Public Health. Well deserved, Bob! Kaitlin E. Jennison (UCSF) and Charlene Rocha (UCSF) will receive the 2011 Anthony Westwater Jong Memorial Community Dental Health Pre-Professional Award. Dr. Sanket R. Nagarkar (BDS, MPH) and Catherine A. Maybury (MPH U of Maryland) will receive the 2011 Anthony Westwater Jong Memorial Community Dental Health Post-Professional Award. Our congratulations to these outstanding awardees. In-depth coverage of the awards will be published in our next Newsletter. We would also like to thank all the students (and mentors who worked with them) who submitted award nominations. It was the most competitive year we have had and made for a difficult decision by the Awards Committee.

Elections: Congratulations to our new officers who will begin their terms at the end of the October-November Annual Meeting: Governing Councilor – Howard Pollick, and Section Councilors – Susan Cote and Peggy Timothe. We wish you well in your new roles and look forward to your contributions to the Section and to APHA. Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote and to those who agreed to run. We’ll be seeking candidates for the next round of elections soon. If you are interested in running, please contact me at: spresson@bellsouth.net.

Policy: The Section leadership continues to be active in participating in APHA’s policy process. Lynn Bethel, our Action Board representative, and Amos Deinard, chair-elect andcChair of the Oral Health Section Policy Committee, led our effort to review policies for possible archiving and proposed policies to be considered by this year’s Governing Council. We will continue to develop and promote evidence-based policies in the arena of oral health.

Get Involved: We need you to be more active in the Oral Health Section, whether on a committee or by running for an office. For those who have already served in a leadership capacity, strongly consider reengaging with old friends and colleagues. We welcome your help on the Program Planning Committee, Membership Committee, Awards Committees, Policy Committee, to coordinate and help staff the Section booth at the Annual Meeting, to contribute to the Newsletter and to help manage our website. We depend on Section volunteers to carry on the bulk of the Section’s business. Feel free to contact me or any member of the Section leadership.

APHA, like other associations, has suffered in this economic downturn. Please consider recruiting a member within your professional sphere and/or giving a donation to APHA this year.

Scott Presson

Immediate Past Chair