Posts by Sarah Bedard Holland
“Pandemics, Policing, and Protest: On Racism & Health” Rhea Boyd, MD Keynote Presentation – 2020 Virginia Oral Health Summit
2020 – Year in Review
2020 was not the year any of us expected in January! However, I’m proud of the Catalyst team and the way we, and our partners, adapted to the “new normal.” We’ve met each other’s pets, learned the intricacies of Zoom, and tried our best to not talk when we are muted. We’ve also pivoted rapidly…
Read MoreUnderstanding the Public Charge Ruling and its Impact on the Health of Virginians
Yesterday the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule took effect. The rule will affect approximately 10 million documented immigrants across the country, making it harder for immigrants to get a green card if they use public benefits like Medicaid or SNAP While there are legal challenges still moving forward regarding the rule, the Supreme Court in…
Read MoreA Medicaid Adult Dental Benefit will Improve Health AND save Virginia Money
This legislative session has seen a groundswell of support to add a comprehensive dental benefit for all adults enrolled in Medicaid. Statewide advocacy organizations, safety net clinics, and medical and dental providers have all advocated for a dental benefit. While the majority of decision-makers agree that oral health services are an important part of overall…
Read MoreVirginia Health Catalyst strongly supports water fluoridation
A recent study in JAMA Pediatrics examined prenatal fluoride exposure in Canadian mothers and a possible link to their child’s IQ score and fluoride consumption. Researchers found that a higher amount of fluoride in the urine of pregnant women was associated with a lower IQ score in boys born to them. There was no association…
Read MoreIntroducing Virginia Health Catalyst: The Intersection of Overall Health and Oral Health
I’m excited to announce the next era of the Virginia Oral Health Coalition – Virginia Health Catalyst. This is a pivotal moment for our work, and the decision to change our name to Virginia Health Catalyst came from collaborative and thoughtful discussions with our board, staff, and partners. As we began to update our strategic…
Read More2019 Legislative Session Recap
The 2019 session was a ‘short’ session (legislative sessions alternate between short sessions, which are six weeks, and long sessions which are 8 weeks), which means a lot of legislation was reviewed in a short amount of time. Overall I think the commonwealth made strides toward more equitable access to quality, comprehensive health care through…
Read MorePediatricians Role in Comprehensive Health Care
The saying goes “it takes a village to raise a child,” and National Children’s Dental Health Month is a great time to consider the important role medical providers play in helping keep a child healthy and happy, and ways to strengthen that role to improve comprehensive health. Pediatricians play a vital role in a child’s…
Read MorePolicy Priorities for the 2019 Legislative Session
The 2019 legislative is underway in Richmond. The Coalition staff is excited about several bills put forward to improve access to oral health care. Be sure to join us on January 30 for our Legislative Action Day and share your support for three bills we’re watching closely: Study on Emergency Room Dental Visits (Item 281 #1s,…
Read MoreMedicare Dental Bill Introduced – How it Could Affect Virginians
Earlier this month Maryland Senator Ben Cardin introduced The Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2019 that will, if enacted, add a dental benefit in Medicare Part B. This is a terrific policy step to help ensure Medicare beneficiaries have equitable access to comprehensive care. As a federal program, Medicare provides medical coverage and pharmacy services…
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