Cross Cultural Community Services (CCCS) will host Maine’s first-ever Oral Health Equity Conference on September 17, 2024, at The Woodford’s Club in Portland. This free event will feature a light breakfast and lunch. The conference will open with remarks by Minou Jones, founder and CEO of Making It Count Community Development Corporation, who has spent over 20 years helping people of color build healthier communities.
Attendees will hear from Maine’s leading public health experts on ensuring everyone, especially marginalized populations, receives the necessary resources for good health. Presenters from the Maine CDC and Children’s Oral Health Network will share their efforts to improve equitable access to high-quality oral health services in Maine. In the afternoon, CCCS will provide condensed Oral Health & Race training and present a report with recommendations from their 2024 data-gathering initiative involving oral health providers, immigrant and refugee groups, American-born Black Mainers, and LGBTQ+ Mainers.
This landmark conference is part of the efforts of The Oral Health Equity Collaborative (OHEC), which CCCS established in 2022. OHEC was created in partnership with BIPOC-led and BIPOC-serving organizations and oral health providers to address significant disparities in oral health care. The Collaborative’s mission is to develop comprehensive strategies to eliminate inequities and improve oral health outcomes for BIPOC and other underserved communities. Since its inception, OHEC has been working diligently to gather data, engage stakeholders, and implement initiatives that promote oral health equity across Maine.
Attending this conference will give participants valuable insights into the current state of oral health equity, network with professionals dedicated to this cause, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on creating a more inclusive and fair healthcare system. This event represents a critical step in ensuring that all Mainers, regardless of their background, have access to the oral health services they need.
Register to attend here: OHEC Conference Registration