Susan J.M. Bauman
City-County Building, Room 403

210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard
Madison, Wisconsin 53709
(Phone) 608 266 4611
(TTY) 608 266 4443
(FAX) 608 267 8671

January 16, 2001

We are pleased to send you the proceedings of the Dental Access Community Solutions Meeting on 
November 28, 2000. Thanks for participating in an energetic discussion on improving dental access in 
Madison. Our goal for this meeting was to develop a unified voice and consensus agenda on what Madison 
can do to address the oral health access problem. This goal was met and a framework for action has emerged. 
The main points of this action plan are:

1. Expand the capacity of public dental providers:

Develop a collaborative, community- wide partnership to fund two full time dentists and four dental chairs for the Harambee Dental Clinic.

2. Increase the number of Medical Assistance patients receiving dental care:

Through advocacy with State legislators and the Legislative Study Committee on Dental Access and through linkages with other state professional organizations and coalitions, Madison will support legislative policy changes to increase reimbursements to dental providers and simplify paperwork and claims processing.

3. Support expanded functions for dental auxiliaries:

Support legislative and administrative policy changes to expand the scope of practice for dental hygienists and dental assistant such as providing sealants without a dentist diagnosis.

1. Develop a media campaign about the importance of preventive dental care:

Convene a coalition to identify/create a message about the importance of dental care, and fund and implement a media campaign.

2. Promote oral education in the schools:

Expand/provide dental health education to children and parents by using school nurses as oral health contacts, supporting continuation of school-based dental sealants, and by increasing oral health education programs in the schools.

3. Improve the integration of oral health and medical health care:

The Madison Department of Public Health in conjunction with the Dental Access Work Group are working to implement this agenda, and will be meeting with key community partners, contacting the Legislature and linking with other state organizations and coalitions to improve dental access.

Your help is needed to implement the Dental Access Framework for Action. Please contact Gay, Gross, Madison Department of Public Health by phone: 294-5313, or e-mail: ggross@cityofmadison.com], if you are willing to work on any of the above issues.

Based on the solutions developed at the Community Solutions Meeting, it is clear that our community is committed to solving the dental access problem. The City of Madison and the Madison Health Department are committed to working with our community to move forward and implement these community solutions.

Best Wishes for a Healthy Community,

Work Group I: What can be done to increase the capacity of public dental providers serving low income and vulnerable populations?
Work Group II: What are Madison's recommendations for reducing barriers to dental access?
Work Group III: What can be done to increase public awareness of the importance of dental care--especially preventive dental services?