The full Coalition meets quarterly and committees meet as needed. The work of the Coalition is carried out by a part-time Coalition Coordinator who consults with a Steering Committee to make decisions and determine activities.
Our Work
The Coalition Coordinator and Steering Committee work with partners to promote policy changes and disseminate information and resources on current clinical issues and community-based education and oral health promotion efforts. As a network, the Coalition shares information through our quarterly meetings and e-newsletter, Word of Mouth, to:
- Educate members, legislators, and other policy makers on oral health issues
- Collaborate in researching, developing, proposing, and supporting oral health legislation or policy changes
- Reach out and encourage individuals and organizations to join with MOHC to work on oral health policy and community-based programs
MOHC’s Work for Community Water Fluoridation
- Encourage safe and efficient operation of public water systems that fluoridate
- Facilitate education about and promotion of community water fluoridation
- Seek appropriate funding for new or replacement equipment for communities and water systems to implement or continue fluoridation
- Facilitate mobilization of support for community water fluoridation when it is challenged
Guiding Principles
As individuals and organizational members, we represent many viewpoints and positions. As a Coalition, we focus on shared values and work to build common ground. We recognize that working together, we can realize our mission.
- We have concerns for the oral health of Maine people of all ages, cultures, and resources
- We work to educate the public and policy makers that good oral health is an integral part of overall health
- We support fair access to oral health prevention and treatment services, with a special emphasis on the needs of underserved populations
- We support community water fluoridation and a range of other evidence-based preventive services, including such public health strategies as school-based dental sealants programs, fluoride varnishes, education, home health visits and a host of other effective interventions
- We rely on research literature and data to inform the work of the Coalition
- We can work to affect and impact systems change to improve oral health status in Maine; we can leverage national, state, and community resources and dedicate them to the improvement of oral health
- We collaborate with various partners to maximize a wide range of resources, not limited to legislators, health and social advocacy organizations, health professional organizations, businesses, educators, and state agencies
- We are a learning organization committed to evaluating the effectiveness of our work