Basic information about News & Events of Interest to the Coalition
News Release-February 20, 2024
For Immediate Release
Contact
Chris Dugan
CDugan@nhoralhealth.org
(603) 391-4703
Honoring A Public Health Champion
The NH Oral Health Coalition Establishes The Alphonse J. “Skip” Homicz Jr. Legacy Award
Concord, NH: (February 20, 2024) In recognition of his enduring role as an advocate for oral health, the NH Oral Health Coalition (NHOHC) is pleased to announce the formation of the Alphonse J. “Skip” Homicz Jr. Legacy Award. The award honors the late Dr. Skip Homicz, who passed away in 2023. “Skip was a tireless champion for the underserved in our state,” said Helen B. Taft, Board Member for the NH Oral Health Coalition. “He was a widely respected and recognized general dentist and an oral health advocate for over 50 years. We are thrilled to establish this honor in his memory.”
Taft went on to say that for its inaugural year, NHOHC’s award committee unanimously selected Dr. Homicz to receive the first award posthumously. The initial award was presented to his family during a special ceremony at the Coalition’s annual meeting.
Dr. Homicz was a past President of the NH Dental Society, a founding member of the NH Oral Health Coalition, and served as the Chair of its Steering Committee for many years. After he retired from private practice he served as the volunteer Dental Director of Families First Health and Support Center in Portsmouth, NH for fifteen years. Under his leadership Families First opened a dental center for the community. Later Dr. Homicz led the organization’s expansion of dental services for individuals experiencing homelessness through a mobile health program.
“The award honors Dr. Homicz’s legacy and passionate commitment to improving the oral health of populations most in need of care,” said Gail Brown, Executive Director of the NH Oral Health Coalition. “Going forward, its goal is to recognize an individual or a NH Nonprofit organization each year that best demonstrates and exemplifies Skip’s commitment to increasing access to oral health in their community and/or the state. It creates an award process that ensures his legacy lives on.”
Brown added that the Coalition will begin soliciting nominations for the 2024 award this spring and that the honoree will be announced at the Coalition’s annual meeting in December. For more information about the award, please contact Chris Dugan at NHOHC at cdugan@nhoralhealth.org.
About the New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition
The Coalition’s mission is to advance and promote oral health for the people of New Hampshire, and we continuously look for opportunities to engage and educate stakeholders on the link between oral health and overall health. It is the vision of the Coalition that through improved oral health, the people of New Hampshire will have enhanced quality of life and opportunity.
Learn more at: https://nhoralhealth.org/
NEW Private Practice Dentists State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP-PPD)
As part of the State of NH’s efforts to expand access to dentists in the areas most needed, the State Loan Repayment Program is piloting a new loan repayment program exclusively for private practice dentists – the Private Practice Dentists State Loan Repayment Program, or SLRP-PPD. Find out more…
The DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement, the DentaQuest Foundation, and the DentaQuest Institute have become the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, a nonprofit committed to building a future in which equitable systems promote excellent health, allowing people everywhere to reach their full potential. The expanded nonprofit is equipped with a robust portfolio, including grantmaking, health improvement programs, advocacy, and more so they can be laser-focused on building a future where oral health and overall health are equitable for all.
Events
Save The Date! The NH Oral Health Coalition will be holding our annual meeting on Friday, December 6, 2024. Details forthcoming.
Medical-Dental Integration in YOUR Community – Series – Resources
Thank you to all who participated in this Webinar Series. The slide decks and program information is posted on the Medical-Dental Integration 2021 Webinar Series page.
Thank you to all who participated in the NH’s Pathway to Equitable Oral Health Care Webinars. Presentations are posted on the 2021 NH Oral Health Forum page.