Shifting the Battle for Community Health
Sponsored by Department of Health and Senior Services
Moderator: Gwen Sullentrup Presented by Dr. Lisa Bosch, DMD, Dr. Molly Foster, DMD, Jessica Burdick, and Roger Sullivan
Course Description: Over the past two years, the Office of Dental Health and the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health has worked with dental health professionals and water system personnel in local communities to shift the discussion about community water fluoridation. In 2020-2021, the ODH’s stance on community water fluoridation was one of a defensive nature, requiring ODH personnel to counter fifteen (15) attempted and three (3) full rollbacks (discontinuation of fluoridation). By the end of 2021 and into 2022, ODH with the assistance of the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health, local community dental health and medical health professionals, local water system personnel, and local community fluoridation advocates, has shifted the community health landscape to one of initiation and education. This has brought about a new openness to consideration of community water fluoridation and the benefits it provides to communities and Missourians. This panel will provide an analysis of how this shift occurred and what you can do to help your community achieve a more balanced public and community health landscape.
Objectives: At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Describe Missouri’s oral health landscape;
- Describe the dental health professional's role in educating and advocating for community water fluoridation;
- Describe how to educate key members of a local community, including advocates, decision makers, and water system personnel on the benefits of community water fluoridation;
- Describe the water system personnel’s role in community water fluoridation;
- Identify ways to personalize the risks and benefits of community water fluoridation based on the community demographics and community health landscape;
- Identify ways community water fluoridation assists with the elimination of health disparities and inequities.
Documents for Panel Discussion
2. CCWWC Member Map of NE Missouri
6. Edina Missouri Regional Data Snapshot
8. Warsaw Missouri Regional Data Snapshot
10. CWF adjustments from 1945-1962-2015
12. Water Op Fluoridation Quick Responses
13. Warsaw different types of fluoride
14. Water Quality Report CCR MO3010835 2021
17. LOGISTICS OF NEW FLUORIDATION PROCESS
Dr. Lisa Bosch is an advocate for Rural Dentistry and Community Water Fluoridation in Missouri. Helping lead the way for the Clarence Cannon Wholesale Water Commission (CCWWC) Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) Project by serving on the Clarence Cannon Water Fluoridation Workgroup, Dr. Bosch provides insight to questions on the impact of fluoridation for the health of the rural communities. From 2015 to 2019, Dr. Bosch simultaneously received her Doctorate of Medical Dentistry and her Masters in Public Health from the A.T. Still University – Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health. Currently, Dr. Bosch serves as the Secretary on the University of Missouri Extension Council, is the President of the Knox County Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club, supervises Clinical Experiences with MOSDOH students seeing drug court and low income patients, and was the New Dentist Board Member and now the Northeast Missouri Trustee at the Missouri Dental Association. In addition to her volunteer efforts, Dr. Bosch owns a private practice in Edina, Missouri where she provides restorative, pediatric, endodontic, oral surgery, and prosthodontic care to her patients.
This speaker has declared no commercial conflict of interest relative to this presentation.
Dr. Molly Foster is the CDO at Katy Trail Community Health in Sedalia, MO. She is happy to be practicing in Sedalia, MO, her hometown. Dr. Foster attended the University of Missouri - Kansas City where she received her BS in Biology and BA in Chemistry in 2015. She then attended the Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health where she graduated with her DMD and MPH in 2019. Her areas of focus at Katy Trail Community Health include increasing water fluoridation and improving access to care through teledentistry. She is a member of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, Missouri Dental Association, participating in the New Dentist Committee, as well as a member of the American Dental Association. She is currently completing NNOHA's Oral Health Leadership Institute and the AIDPH Dental Public Health Leadership Academy. In her free time, she is with her family including husband, Keaton, and her son Bennett who was welcomed in September 2021, and his furry siblings. She lives on the farm where her grandpa was raised and is learning how to farm slowly with a small garden and chickens. When she is not busy with her family she enjoys baking, reading, and watching the newest binge-worthy show.
This speaker has declared no commercial conflict of interest relative to this presentation.
Jessica Burdick is a Registered Dental Hygienist at Katy Trail Community Health in Warsaw, MO. She initially began practicing at Jordan Valley Community Health Center but relocated to the Warsaw area in 2012 due to her husband’s employment with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Her passion has always been practicing in public health and working with special needs patients. Jessica graduated from Ozarks Technical Community College in 2003 with her Associates in Dental Assisting. While practicing as a dental assistant at Jordan Valley, she again attended Ozarks Technical Community College where she graduated as a registered Dental Hygienist in 2007. Additionally, she has also obtained additional education, training, and certifications in delivering dental care to patients with special needs. Her areas of focus at Katy Trail Community Health include increasing water fluoridation, implementing teledentistry at their satellite location in Warsaw, community outreach at local schools and WIC offices and continued care for children in her community. She is a member of the American Dental Hygiene Association. In her free time, her and her husband Drew are busy with their two boys, Ayden 14, and Hudson 11, who are involved in football, baseball, basketball, and band. When she is not attending sporting events with her children, she enjoys traveling, gardening, kayaking, and weekends on the lake.
This speaker has declared no commercial conflict of interest relative to this presentation.
Mr. Roger Sullivan was born and raised on a working dairy farm in Carroll County Mo. After high school he attended Midwest Business School for Accounting where he graduated with his accounting degrees. Roger has been employed as a factory worker, carpenter, plumber, truck mechanic, coal miner, truck driver and for the last 30 plus years he has worked in the water and wastewater industry. He has a Class A water certificate, a Class B wastewater certificate and a DS III Distribution certificate.
This speaker has declared no commercial conflict of interest relative to this presentation.
Photo Sullentrup
Gwen is the Office of Dental Health CWF Coordinator and holds a BA in psychology and has completed over 70 hours of graduate work in the fields of education and business. Gwen started her career with the state in 2006 working at State Technical College of Missouri. She continued her work for the state, working with underserved populations in child and adult abuse and neglect, the WIC program, long-term care inspector and ultimately finding her home with the Office of Dental Health in 2020.
Gwen is working on completing her last four classes to finish out both of her Master’s degrees, one in education and one in business management. Gwen continues to work to help improve the needs of all Missourians and has been blessed to work for and with a wonderful group of individuals that help move the needle forward on public health initiatives and education that improve the lives of Missourians.
This speaker has declared no commercial conflict of interest relative to this presentation.