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Virginia students miss nearly 1 million hours of school each year for dental problems. With the beginning of a new school year around the corner, now is a great time for health advocates and providers across the state to work together to improve oral health for all students by sharing with parents and caregivers a…
Read MoreChallenges facing the Latino community have been all over the news recently. To understand the efforts happening here in Virginia to ensure all communities have opportunities to succeed I sat down with Beatriz Amberman, chair of the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO) and member of the Virginia Oral Health Coalition legislative committee, to learn…
Read MoreIn 2020 the federal government will count the roughly 330 million people in the United States (US) through the census, a tally that is mandated by the Constitution. The census occurs every ten years and requires every resident in the US to complete forms that detail household size, income, and other demographic details. The data…
Read MoreExpectant mothers have a lot to keep track of, and misperceptions on the importance and safety of dental care during pregnancy can push oral health care to the bottom of the list. Medical professionals and family educators can drive home the value of dental care and increase the chance a woman will visit the dentist…
Read MoreEarlier this year, the Trump administration released a draft of planned policy changes that would expand the criteria used to consider a person a potential “public charge.” The proposed changes are already causing some Virginia immigrants to forgo using public health programs for fear this may jeopardize their immigration status. Given the impact on health…
Read MoreIt is a busy and rewarding start to the summer across the Commonwealth. A few weeks ago, the Virginia legislature voted to expand Medicaid eligibility, which means, by January 1, nearly 400,000 low-income Virginians will be able to access affordable health care coverage with a very limited, extraction-only dental benefit. Medicaid expansion is a huge…
Read MoreOn May 30, Virginia legislature voted to expand Medicaid coverage eligibility to more than 300,000 Virginians by raising the eligible income threshold to just over $16,000 for an individual and $28,000 for parents in a family of three. Hundreds of thousands of Virginians will now have access to affordable health and mental health services, and…
Read MoreWhen the Senate met yesterday there were a series of somewhat dramatic floor speeches, both pro and con Medicaid Expansion, but there was no vote on the proposed budget compromise which would expand the states Medicaid program to nearly 400,00 Virginians. Senate Republican leaders used a procedural motion to delay budget consideration by the Senate…
Read MoreHouse Appropriations Committee Chair Delegate Chris Jones and Senate Finance Committee Co-chairman Senator Emmett Hanger agreed late Monday on a budget compromise that would expand the state's Medicaid program to nearly 400,000 Virginians. The two leaders arrived on budget amendments that demonstrate a commitment to bipartisan legislation and a compromise that both the House and Senate…
Read MoreOral Health America’s (OHA) national report A State of Decay, Vol. IV examines key indicators that impact the oral health of older adults in all states. Virginia narrowly earned a “Good” rating with a 70% score, putting us 11th in the nation for our efforts to improve oral health in seniors. With 1.35 million seniors…
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