Oral

Four years ago Deamonte Driver, a 12 year old in Prince George's County, died from an abscessed tooth that went untreated. Deamonte Driver is not the only child to die due to untreated dental disease. But, because of his death a broad-based group of individuals and organizations in Maryland have taken many strategic actions to prevent such a tragic event from ever happening again. The purpose of this session is to provide background on what we are doing, how we have accomplished these milestones and update on the activities that are in place and the current status of what we continue to do to prevent dental caries and to provide access to care.

Session Objectives: • Explain why and how the Dental Action Committee was created and how it morphed into the Maryland Dental Action Coalition. • Identify key players including state & local governments, associations, foundations, institutions and interested individuals. • Identify the vision and mission of the Deamonte Driver Dental Project. Recognize the influence of Maryland legislators on Healthcare Reform.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)