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NH Oral Health Coalition Names 2010 Oral Health Champion of the Year

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NH House Representative Rich DiPentima is named the NH Oral Health Coalition’s 2010 Oral Health Champion of the Year.

NH House Representive Rich DiPentima and Coalition Director Angela Boyle

The integration of oral health and primary care has become a high priority for the NH Oral Health Coalition and naturally an area that would merit a leading role in improved oral health public policy.

In 2009, the Oral Health Coalition participated on House Bill #414 Study Commission which examined ways to prevent dental disease among NH’s children. The study commission led by Rep. DiPentima made a number of recommendations. Building off last year’s recommendations, Rep. DiPentima brought forward in the 2010 Legislative Session, House Bill # 1537, an act allowing primary care providers to provide preventive oral health services to children between 0 and 3 years of age under the state Medicaid program. A common practice in 35 other states, including every New England State with the exception of NH.

House Bill #1537 received strong support throughout the public hearings. Testimony was provided by more than 30 community organizations as well as NH’s First Lady, Dr. Susan Lynch.

“The NH Oral Health Coalition is proud to have worked closely with Rep. DiPentima during this year’s legislative session. His impressive public health experience and dedication to improving oral health in our state will ensure that NH’s Children will have a healthy start to life.  We are grateful for his strong leadership in the legislature which led to the passage of House Bill #1537”, said Angela Boyle, NH Oral Health Coalition Director.



Northeast Delta Dental Strengthens the Work of the NH Oral Health Coalition

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Over the past three years, Northeast Delta Dental has provided $150,000 to the NH Oral Health Coalition. Its three-year pledge has allowed the NH Oral Health Coalition to strengthen partnerships in promoting and improving oral health in New Hampshire through outreach and education to several state-wide stakeholders. The NH Oral Health Coalition represents individuals, agencies and a diverse group of health care providers who share a common concern for the challenges of attaining oral health in our state.

Through Northeast Delta Dental’s support, the Coalition has been able to raise awareness of the importance of oral health to overall health. Examples of the work accomplished within the last three years include: convening annual oral health forums featuring national speakers that included participation from the medical and dental profession and state wide attendance from a broad group of interested stakeholders; offering annual educational events such as oral health lunch and learns targeting state legislators; disseminating critical state and national oral health information to stakeholders and, most recently, the participation on a study commission to explore strategies to prevent dental disease among New Hampshire’s children.

Director of the NH Oral Health Coalition Angela Boyle said of its support, “The NH Oral Health Coalition appreciates Northeast Delta Dental for supporting the work of the Coalition. We are honored to share in its commitment to promote and improve oral health through strong partnerships.”

NH’s Children Will Benefit From Early Prevention Strategies

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This week the NH Senate  passed House Bill 1537, an act allowing primary care providers to provide dental disease prevention measures for children 0-3 enrolled.  This bill directs the Department of Health and Human services to seek funding that would enable primary care providers to deliver preventive oral health services to very young children.

This legislation has received broad bi-partisan support in the NH House of Representatives and the Senate.  Both Republicans and Democrats recognize the serious problem of dental disease in children.

This bill  sparked over 30 stakeholder groups as well as several concerned individuals who were willing to share thier support for improving the oral health of NH’s very young children during the bill’s legislative process.  NH could anticipate many of those same stakeholders working together to insure that this critical prevention strategy not be lost during the state’s gruelling budget process.

NH Oral Health Coalition is pleased that the NH Legislature is committed to keeping NH’s children healthy.

NH House of Representatives Pass Children’s Oral Health Bill

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House Bill 1537, an act allowing primary care providers to provide dental disease prevention measures for children ages 0-3 enrolled in Medicaid , is passed by the NH House.

The Government Accountability Office concluded that children in Medicaid had nearly twice the rate of untreated tooth decay as children with private insurance

Thirty-five states, including all the New England States with the exception of New Hampshire, offer Medicaid reimbursement to primary-care medical providers who perform oral health screenings and/or preventive services such as fluoride varnish applications on high to moderate risk young children.

Reimbursing primary care providers for performing dental screenings and applying fluoride varnish on moderate to high risk is becoming “best practices” for saving states money by instituting primary prevention strategies.

This legislation has received broad bi-partisan support in the NH House of Representatives.  Both Republicans and Democrats recognize the serious problem of dental disease in children.

The NH Oral Health Coalition would like to extend a sincere thank you to the NH House of Representatives and its leadership for making children’s oral health a priority.

HB1537 will be scheduled for a public hearing in the NH Senate sometime in April.

For more information about this bill, please contact our office.