Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation knows that achieving lasting oral health improvements requires advocacy and changes at a policy level. As part of our commitment to helping all Coloradans achieve their optimal oral health, we engage individuals and communities experiencing oral health inequities and disparities to identify and understand the root causes of structural and systemic barriers. This helps inform policy issues and strategies to address them so that we can support public policies that advance oral health equity to create conditions through which everyone can have a healthy mouth.
The 74th Colorado General Assembly convened on January 9. After the pomp, circumstance, and ceremony that ushers in each new session, the legislature quickly got to work. This year, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation (DDCOF) will be watching several issues closely including the ongoing efforts to address health care workforce shortages and access to care. As DDCOF continues to build its policy and advocacy influence, we are establishing new and maintaining existing relationships with partners whose policy and advocacy expertise aligns with our mission to elevate the well-being of all Coloradans by advancing oral health equity.
Our policy principles were updated for 2023 to better reflect the impact of advocacy and policy within DDCOF’s comprehensive approach to addressing oral health equity. Some of the policy priorities that we will focus on include:
- Monitoring the implementation of the statewide oral health plan and the Roadmap for Early Childhood Oral Health Equity
- Recognizing that oral health care is essential primary care and for it to be considered with regard to coverage, access, and payment
- Increasing access to oral health services to prevent or control the progression of oral diseases
We also continue to monitor the implementation of legislation passed over the last few years and follow efforts on the federal level that impact our state.
Want to learn more? Contact Theresa Anselmo, Policy Manager [email protected]