The W.K. Kellogg Foundation commends Congress for its recognition of the urgent need to comprehensively and substantially strengthen oral health care for our most vulnerable children.

Most recently, the Senate version of health reform represents a high water mark for oral health legislation, with more than two dozen important provisions aimed at improving oral health care, which include:

– Expanding insurance coverage for pediatric oral health services and

eligibility for preventive oral health services without co-payments.

– Launching new dental disease prevention initiatives including public

education, school- based sealant programs in all 50 states, and research

grants for dental caries management.

– Addressing critical dental care workforce issues and the cultural

competence and diversity of the provider teams through expanded training

programs and education resources for general, pediatric and public

health dentists and for the exploration of new solutions for dental

professionals to reach rural and underserved areas.

Access issues are particularly severe in many rural and urban communities, and particularly impact children and families of color. The rate of untreated decay in American Indian and Alaska Native children is more than 3 times higher than that of all children in the United States. It is known that those who lack affordable health insurance are at increased risk for unmet dental needs, and together with children from poor and/or minority families, these two categories amount to 52 percent of children in this country.

Untreated dental disease many times leads to serious, life-threatening medical situations. For too long, oral health has long been separated from the rest of the body in most health policy conversations, even though oral health is essential to overall health.

We are pleased that Congress is bringing oral health into the conversation to improve our nation’s overall health. These issues have historically received broad bi-partisan support, and we look forward to continued progress.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families, and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society. Improving oral health for children and families is an important component of our work to improve overall health, eliminate racial disparities in health, and provide needed health care to those who are underserved.

SOURCE W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Credit: W.K. Kellogg Foundation

CORRECTION: In the news release, ADA Launches Community Dental Health Coordinator Pilot Program at Temple University, issued 24-Nov-2009 by American Dental Association over PR Newswire, we are advised by the organization that the ninth paragraph, second sentence, should read “Salish Kootenai College in Montana” rather than “in Wyoming” as originally issued inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows

ADA Launches Community Dental Health Coordinator Pilot Program at Temple University

CHICAGO, Nov. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The American Dental Association (ADA) has signed an agreement with Temple University to train new dental team members as part of a pilot program to improve the oral health in underserved communities.

The Community Dental Health Coordinator (CDHC) is a member of the dental health team who works in communities where residents have limited access to dental care to improve their oral health.

The CDHC provides a limited range of preventive dental care services — including screenings and fluoride treatments. However, of greater importance to these communities, the CDHC will help patients navigate the health system and access care by a dentist or an appropriate clinic and engage in educational activities to improve community members’ oral health habits.

Temple will recruit and train CDHCs from urban locations in Philadelphia over the next two years, returning them to their communities to work as dental team members under the supervision of dentists.

Although the CDHC is a new dental team member whose merits are not yet known, many studies of the community health worker (CHW) model indicate that they can make significant contributions to a community. Because the CDHC will function much like a CHW, the ADA believes that they, too, will have a positive impact on the oral health of their communities through education and outreach.

“We are delighted to welcome Temple’s participation,” said ADA President Dr. Ron Tankersley. “The pilot at Temple will help us understand the effectiveness of a dental health coordinator in underserved urban settings.”

Dr. Amid Ismail, dean of Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry and one of the architects of the CDHC program, explained why the program is seeking to place CDHC trainees in their own communities.

“Our aim is to ensure that the coordinator is able to bridge the gap between local cultures and health care systems. The CDHC can help improve people’s oral health habits and help patients navigate the social and bureaucratic barriers that prevent them from gaining access to available dental health services,” Dr. Ismail said.

Temple is the third of three pilot CDHC program sites. Two other pilot programs are directed by University of Oklahoma, which is training CDHCs from rural areas, and the University of California at Los Angeles, which, in conjunction with Salish Kootenai College in Montana, is training students from American Indian communities.

The ADA has funded the program, which will train six students per site each year.

About the American Dental Association

The not-for-profit ADA is the nation’s largest dental association, representing more than 157,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public’s health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA’s state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The monthly Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) is the ADA’s flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit the Association’s Web site at www.ada.org.

SOURCE American Dental Association

Credit: American Dental Association

More than 50 percent of the children enrolled in 80 elementary schools in Salt Lake, Davis and Tooele counties are living in poverty. Those children, who reside in low-income households, usually suffer from significant amounts of tooth decay and lack of oral health care. Dental Select recognizes the need of Utah’s underprivileged children in the community and has committed to financially supporting Sealants for Smiles, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing oral-health education and dental sealants to underserved children.

Recently honored as the title sponsor at Sealants for Smiles 2nd Annual Gala Benefit held at the Grand America in Salt Lake City, Dental Select was recognized for its 2009 contribution of more than $400,000. This commitment will allow Sealants for Smiles to expand school visits into more Utah counties, increase the number of oral health presentations, and ultimately place more sealants on the 2nd and 6th grade children who need them.

During the 2007 and 2008 school year, Dental Select contributed more than $420,000 to Sealants for Smiles. As the sole administrator for this program, Dental Select continually provides Sealants for Smiles with necessary technology expenses, an office facility, staff wages and salaries in order to allow 100% of donations to go directly toward advancing program services.

In the past two years, Sealants for Smiles has placed more than 31,000 dental sealants on children who were screened with moderate to urgent dental needs. Because of Dental Select’s contributions, Sealants for Smiles can continue to expand and see a larger percentage of underprivileged children each year to improve Utah’s community youth.

Dental Select, headquartered in Salt Lake City, is the largest dental provider in the state of Utah, and provides benefits to more than 5,000 client groups across Utah, Texas and Nevada. Dental Select specializes in affordable and flexible dental plans, offering a wide array of discount, PPO, Indemnity, and self-funded dental plans. With over 20 years experience, Dental Select has been a recurring Utah 100 company, and on the Inc. 500 list of America’s fastest growing companies. More information regarding Dental Select is available by visiting the company’s web site at www.dentalselect.com or by calling 800-999-9789.

Health Reform Bill unveiled in Senate yesterday contains key provisions to provide unprecedented oral health resources for all Americans

Children’s Dental Health Project

Meg Booth, 202-441-0299

Logo: http://www.cdhp.org

The Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) today applauded the U.S. Senate for recognizing the importance of oral health with the introduction of its health reform bill. Unveiled last night, the Senate’s bill includes a historic commitment to strengthen oral health among the nation’s vulnerable populations, and is a major step toward matching public resources to counter the “silent epidemic” of poor oral health among America’s children that was the subject of a warning from the U.S. Surgeon General more than a decade ago.

“The Senate has taken a historic step toward safeguarding the oral health of millions of Americans,” said CDHP chair and founder Dr. Burt Edelstein. “From prevention and treatment to more effective use of data and workforce development, the Senate’s health care reform bill is a strong commitment to children and other populations who are most vulnerable to dental disease. In particular, Senator Jeff Bingaman, in addition to Senators Snowe, Rockefeller, Dodd, and Reid have been champions for provisions in this bill that have the potential to improve dental health for children and families across the nation.”

The Senate bill includes the following oral health care measures:

– Expanded coverage. Insurance coverage for pediatric oral health services and eligibility for preventive oral health services without co-payments.

– Prevention. Dental disease prevention initiatives including public education, school-based sealant programs in all 50 states, and research grants for dental caries management.

– Tracking and monitoring. Resources for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other organizations that track of oral health and the use of dental services among pregnant women and other vulnerable populations.

– Workforce development. Expanded training programs and education resources for general, pediatric and public health dentists and those who train and educate future dental caregivers in rural areas and among underserved populations; and demonstration grants for alternative dental health providers.

– Safety net improvements. Initiatives to provide more access to care including federally-funded school-based health centers and creation of a commission to study oral healthcare workforce capacity.

– Infrastructure improvements. Public health infrastructure improvements in the states to bolster public oral health programs, including CDC authorization to establish oral health leadership and program guidance, oral health data collection and interpretation, a multi-dimensional delivery system for oral health, and science-based programs to improve oral health.

The House’s health care reform bill passed earlier this month contains many of the same measures, which Edelstein said points to a bicameral commitment to improving oral health.

“As the bill moves toward passage in the Senate and a conference with the U.S. House, it is vital to preserve these provisions,” said Edelstein. “We are confident that members of the House and Senate will remain steadfast in their commitment to oral health and will work together to ensure that the oral health measures contained in this legislation remain strong.”

About the Children’s Dental Health Project:

The Children’s Dental Health Project advances policies that improve children’s access to oral health through research-driven policies and innovative solutions by engaging a broad base of partners committed to children and oral health. For additional information please visit, www.cdhp.org.

-Monongalia County School’s Board of Education has tabled changes to the dental insurance plan until more research can be done.

The BOE made its decision Tuesday, after it received more information about possible changes.

The members learned about joining a Preferred Provider Organization, updating the policy and changing to a usual and customary rate.

But BOE President Nancy Walker said they wanted to have the whole policy reviewed, instead of making changes over of several months.

“I’d prefer to do this once and not come back,” she said.

Walker said she would like to see the exact plan before making any changes. She has also spoken to her dentist and several procedures the plan covers are outdated.

Walker said she wants board members to look at what exactly they are covering.

The discussion comes on the heels of a board vote to reverse changes made to the dental plan.

On Sept. 22, the board approved changing the way dentists made charges.

The vote was not on the agenda and was brought up during discussion of increasing benefits in the employees’ vision plan.

Employees receive a $1,500 allotment for their dental coverage, Superintendent Frank Devono said.

For example, if an employee receives a teeth cleaning that costs $100, he or she would have $1,400 to pay for other procedures.

Amber Zackery, co-president of the Monongalia County Education Association, said she was happy the board said it made a mistake and rescinded the vote.

She thought that vote overshadowed the good news about the increase in optical benefits approved at the same meeting.

The organization is going to try to work with the administration to determine the best benefit plan for its employees, Zackery said.

She said she doesn’t oppose changes to any insurance package, as long as it benefits the workers.

The board was informed of two possible changes it could make. The first was switching to a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO).

With the switch, there would be no coverage changes and enrollees could visit any doctor, said Robyn Dilley, of American Benefits, administrator for the board’s policy. But employees who visit a dentist in the organization would receive a discount on the procedure’s costs.

The board decided against joining any organization without more research.

It also learned about usual and customary rate. Dentists are surveyed about a procedure’s cost and a maximum amount set that the insurance would pay for a procedure.

The patient would pick up any costs over the rate.

Of the more than 10,000 preventive care claims in the past year, Dilley said, more than 3,000 would have been over the rate.

But nearly 2,400 were $10 or less over the rate. She said many dentists don’t bill that small of an amount because it isn’t worth the time to recoup the money.

Devono said if they do make changes, board members would like to use the savings to improve the dental plan, either by increasing an employee’s allotment or by offering coverage on different procedures.

Board member Barbara Parsons said she would like them to look at their insurance policies every year to see if they need updating or changing.

“This isn’t something you can do overnight,” she said.

Credit: The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

It has been a busy time for education recently. The Renal Care Skills set for ENs I spoke about in my August column has been endorsed by the National Quality Council and is now available through the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council (CSHISC). You can find out who will be delivering it by contacting your State/Territory Training Authority.

I was recently invited to participate on another Industry reference group for the CSHISC to explore the impact of oral health on the Australian population. Like many of you, I’m sure, I don’t really like dentists very much but there I was in a room filled with dentists and dental hygienists discussing the state of Australians teeth and mouths. I found myself subconsciously doing a check. When was the last time I went to the dentist; do my teeth look ok; and should I excuse myself and give them another clean?

Seriously though, it was a very interesting group that led to quite an informative discussion around oral health and its impact on Australians from young children through to the elderly population. Did you know that dental caries are the second most costly diet-related disease in Australia, comparable to the economic impact of heart disease and diabetes? As nurses we know that oral diseases cause a substantial amount of pain and can impact heavily on a person’s quality of life.

Nurses and midwives are being asked to be part of an alternative workforce to assist the oral health care workforce to address an increasing demand for oral health care services as we care for people from birth to death. All nurses, including child and maternal health nurses, midwives, community health nurses, nurse practioners, mental health nurses and Al Ns already play a very important role in the care of Australians oral health and through this project it is anticipated we will have a much bigger impact on our patients’ oral health. I will keep you posted on the progress of this important project.

Just a quick reminder that our new ‘Asthma Management’ tutorial is FREE to members for the month of November and also please keep the feedback coming. I do love hearing from you all.

Financial services information and intelligence provider BAI has put a finger on the pulse of the banking industry and its findings come today in the form of a new economic measure – the BAI & Finacle Banking Confidence Index(TM). The new index, sponsored by NewGround, looks at the extent to which upheaval in the financial services industry in the last six months has affected consumers’ views across five areas: Financial Stress and the Economy; Access to Credit; Managing Personal Finances; Consumer Trust; and, Fees & Disclosure. The index also projects how consumers expect to feel about these areas in six month’s time. To develop its new biannual index, BAI conducted 2,501 interviews across a representative sample of U.S. households in late August 2009 (see also <http://www.newsrx.com/library/topics/BAI.html> BAI).

“This is the first index we know of to focus exclusively on consumer sentiments vis-a-vis retail banking,” said Debbie Bianucci, president and CEO of BAI. “We designed this research with a rigorous methodology, so the index will have maximum value to executives who are focused on measuring consumer trust and confidence in retail banking.”

“In today’s fast-changing scenario, consumer opinion counts more than ever before and technology has made the consumer highly empowered,” said Haragopal Mangipudi, global head – Finacle, Infosys Technologies Ltd. “Presented with diverse and ever-dynamic consumer segments, banks need to anticipate changing requirements and fine-tune business strategy. Finacle with BAI has launched this index for banks to gain insight into consumer trends for innovation on future business strategy and differentiated product offerings.” Among the index’s findings were the following: Financial Stress and the Economy: One-third of consumers feel their financial situation has deteriorated in recent months, but few expect things to grow worse then now. When asked if they thought the current overall employment situation in the country was better, worse or the same as compared to six months ago, 73 percent of respondents said it was worse, 21 percent said things had remained the same and 5 percent felt the situation was better. But 40 percent felt the overall economic condition of the country would be better in six months. When asked which items among a list of behaviors respondents had altered to address their financial concerns, 71 percent said they had trimmed spending on entertainment, 60 percent had changed eating habits to save money, and 34 percent had postponed medical or dental care. Access to Credit: Along with mortgage-related products, most consumers find accessing credit a challenge. Compared to six months ago, 31 percent of respondents feel access to mortgages is worse; 5 percent say it is better, and the remainder saw no change. Those surveyed showed optimism when asked if they thought access to mortgages would be better, stay the same or become worse in six months, with 12 percent saying things would be better and 15 percent saying it would be worse. When asked to look ahead six months and say how likely they were to take out a loan to purchase a car, buy a home, or open a line of credit, respondents who were not likely to do so tallied 71 percent, 82 percent and 80 percent, respectively. Managing Personal Finances: Consumers basically trust their banks, but are less certain about their bankers’ ability to truly understand what consumers are trying to accomplish financially. While 65 percent of consumers surveyed say they trust their primary financial institution and another 81 percent feel their bank will still be in business a year from now, only 35 percent of respondents felt their primary financial institution was concerned about their financial well-being. One out of three respondents said their primary financial institution understood their financial goals. When asked to look ahead six months and project whether they would feel differently about their primary financial institution in these areas, the numbers were largely unchanged.

“In spite of everything that’s happened to our economy, most people still trust their primary bank. And people surveyed said they have some willingness to take on more risk, but they’re concerned about their ability to make the right decisions,” remarked Ajay Nagarkatte, managing director, BAI Research. “For bankers, this is an opportunity to take a fresh approach to how they work with their customers, and develop an array of new products and services that will go further to help people with their financial decision-making.” Consumer Trust: The level of trust consumers expressed in their financial services institutions was largely based on how familiar they were with the organization. Fifty-three percent of respondents who were customers of large national banks said they trust their bank. The same measure rose to 63 percent for clients of regional banks, 82 percent for customers of community banks, and 83 percent for those banking at credit unions. Customers of community banks and credit unions were likely to recommend those institutions by a measure of 72 percent and 76 percent, respectively. Fees & Disclosure: Less than a third of respondents find overdraft fees fair or reasonable. When it comes to fees and disclosures, consumers appear to understand to some extent why banks charge overdraft fees. But only 30 percent of those surveyed believed banks needed to collect such fees to manage overdrawn accounts. Only half of respondents felt the disclosures that financial institutions give for accounts, terms, rates, and fees were easy to understand.

“Recent changes introduced by some of the nation’s large banks are a good initial step to address consumer concerns. But simplified disclosures and clarity around when fees are assessed will continue to be a central theme, unless meaningful, long-term changes are made,” added Nagarkatte. About the Index and Survey BAI and Finacle created this new index, in part, to help bankers and industry-watchers understand the level of trust consumers have in the U.S. banking system. Along with that, the index assesses potential changes in consumer behavior, tracks consumers’ attitudes about their financial service providers, and offers a view behind the trends affecting the financial industry.

DentalPlans.com, a US online marketer of discount dental plans, said on Monday that it has become a partner of Delta SkyMiles, the frequent flyer scheme of Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL).

This new agreement allows Delta SkyMiles members to earn miles when they join any discount dental plan from DentalPlans.com.

Active SkyMiles members will earn 1,500 miles for joining a family discount dental plan and 1,000 miles for joining an individual discount dental plan. DentalPlans.com is also offering SkyMiles members up to 2,000 miles when joining, for a limited time.

SAO PAULO, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Medial Saude S.A.(BM&FBovespa: MEDI3) announces the following webcast:

What:__ Third Quarter 2009 Earnings Conference Call

When:__ Friday, November 13, 2009 at 10:00 AM ET

Where:__ http://prnewswire.mediatown.com.br/player/?id=136

How:__ Live over the Internet — Simply log on to the web at the

address above.

Conference call dial-in phone numbers:

Toll-free from the U.S.: 1-888-700-0802;

Parties in Brazil: 55 (11) 4688-6361;

Parties in other countries: 1-786-924-6977

Contact: Medial Saude’s Investor Relations Area, +55-11-2112-4470, ri@medialsaude.com.br, or Daniela Ueda from FIRB – Financial Investor Relations for Medial Saude S.A., +55-11-3897-6857, daniela.ueda@firb.com

If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the call will be archived at http://www.medialsaude.com.br. To access the replay, click on the Investor Relations section.

Medial is one of the largest conglomerates in the Brazilian supplementary healthcare industry, provides healthcare and dental plan coverage and operates an owned-delivery network of labs and hospitals. The Company had, by the end of June, over 1.9 million plan members, 10 hospitals, 48 healthcare clinics and 61 diagnostics units, in addition to a wide third-party healthcare network.

SOURCE Medial Saude S.A.

Credit: Medial Saude S.A.

AMD LASERS, the world leader in comprehensive and affordable laser technology, announced a strategic partnership aimed at providing even more value for dental professionals that purchase the Picasso diode dental laser. Partners include industry leaders 1-800-DENTIST(R), Fortune Management, and Cetylite Industries. While supplies last, AMD customers who purchase a Picasso laser package will receive a voucher for Everything is Marketing: The Ultimate Strategy for Dental Practice Growth (list price $24.95), a Gift Certificate for a FREE Practice Analysis (valued at $1,500), and a complimentary Cetacaine(R) Topical Anesthetic LIQUID Kit (value of $63).

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with these industry leading companies,” said Alan Miller, President and CEO of AMD LASERS. “Our customers are our greatest asset and creating such a high quality, value-added promotion will make their Picasso purchase experience even more pleasant and relevant to their business. At a value of almost $1,600, coupled with the world’s most affordable laser, we are confident this promotion will help with our goal of having a laser in every operatory.”

AMD LASERS, founded in 2006, is the global leader at providing comprehensive and affordable diode laser technology for dental professionals preparing to take their practice to the next level. The integration of Picasso, our high quality laser technology, enables thousands of dental practices to provide advanced patient care with ease. AMD LASERS customers also receive full-service customer care support from our knowledgeable and friendly staff. For more information about AMD LASERS, please call 866-999-2635, 317-202-9530, or visit us online at www.AMDLASERS.com.