WHAT: On November 19, elected officials, leading experts in the oral health field, and community members will discuss the current state of oral health care access and equity in Miami-Dade County. A panel discussion will feature a Florida Senator and high-level speakers presented by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the American Dental Association.

WHO: Catalyst Miami and Miami Dade Oral Health Network, in partnership with the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network, and Miami Dade College Hialeah Campus. Almost 250 registered guests. Speakers include:

• Senator Jason Pizzo, Florida Senate District 38
• Scott Tomar, D.M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., University of Florida Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science
• Jane Grover, DDS MPH, American Dental Association
• Kathlyn (Katy) Leiviska, HealthPartners Advanced Dental Therapists
• Scott Darius, Florida Voices for Health

WHEN: Tuesday, November 19, 2019
11:00am - 2:00pm

WHERE:  Miami Dade College Hialeah Campus
1780 West 49 Street, Hialeah, FL 33012
Building 5, Room 5101

WHY: The summit’s goals are to:

• Invite public figures and industry leaders into the discussion with their community members about oral health care inequity as a public health issue
• Give community members a platform to advocate directly to their legislators on behalf of better policies and systems that will address disparities in oral health care access
• Identify available resources for comprehensive oral health programs in our communities

According to the U.S. News and World Report (2019), children and adolescents from low-income families have approximately two times or greater the rates of tooth decay than children from higher-income families. Other specific groups also lack access to proper oral health care coverage, including seniors, people with disabilities, and Medicaid and CHIP recipients, due to a shortage of dental care providers who accept public insurance plans.

Admission for the summit is free. Lunch will be served. Registration and more info can be found at bit.ly/oralhealthsummit5. 

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About MDOHN
The Miami Dade Oral Health Network (MDOHN) is a community-centered grassroots initiative committed to improving oral health through education, policy/program development, direct services, and collaboration. MDOHN promotes cooperation, communication, and concerted action among community residents and organizations dedicated to eliminating oral health disparities.

About Catalyst Miami

Catalyst Miami believes everyone deserves a healthy and financially secure life. Currently, two in three families in Miami don’t have enough savings to weather a financial emergency of any kind. For over 20 years, Catalyst Miami has been committed to empowering residents to build better futures by providing family economic security programs, developing leadership and civic engagement, and building coalitions to address poverty. More detailed information about their programs can be found on catalystmiami.org.