The ADA’s interest in improving access to care has not come at the expense of its long-standing emphasis on prevention as a key factor in maintaining good oral health. Both access to care and prevention are of central importance to the Association, and a number of ADA agencies are devoted to furthering the cause of prevention.
For example, as part of its mission, the Council on Access, Prevention and Inter-professional Relations (CAPIR) commits much of its attention to such diverse preventive issues as community water fluoridation, oral health literacy, early childhood caries, sealants, nutrition, tobacco-use cessation and the early detection of oral cancer, sports dentistry and detecting hypertension. Through CAPIR and the Salable Materials program, the ADA offers a wide range of resources to foster prevention. Much of this material is accessible through ADA.org.
Through the Council on Communications, the Association also is working with its corporate sponsors to highlight the importance of prevention in programs targeting both the public and the profession.
For example, the ADA and Johnson & Johnson have announced a joint initiative, "Flossing Matters," to underscore the importance of flossing and to provide dental team members with the tools they need to better educate patients about the value of this preventive measure.
Another new initiative is "Mouthpower," involving Colgate Palmolive and the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Musuem of Dentistry. Through this program, dental team members will have free access to an innovative package of oral health education tools for outreach to schools and other community organizations.
These are just a few examples of what the ADA is doing to promote good oral health through prevention. The Association’s total commitment to prevention is too varied and wide-ranging to be described adequately in this space. Readers interested in knowing more about the Association’s efforts in the area of prevention can start by visiting the ADA’s Web site.
Finally, member dentists wishing to discuss or recommend prevention-related activities are welcome to contact Dr. Robert E. Barsley, CAPIR chair, care of the CAPIR office at ADA headquarters in Chicago.
