Advocacy

Our Connecticut legislators, both the State and U.S. House and Senate, make important decisions that impact us, our families and our communities. Your voice on issues makes a difference and your legislators want to hear from you. Calling, writing a letter or sending an e-mail are all acceptable ways to communicate with them.

To locate your Connecticut State Senator and/or Representative and obtain their contact information:

http://www.cga.ct.gov/maps/Townlist.asp

To locate your U.S. Senator and/or Representative and obtain their contact information:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=CT

http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#ct

ORBIT

Bridgeport/Stratford

The ORBIT Collaborative (Oral Health Bridgeport Initiative) was created in September 1999 with the mission to increase access to quality and affordable dental care services for underserved and vulnerable populations in Bridgeport and Stratford, CT.  Chaired by Southwestern Area Health Education Center (AHEC), ORBIT’s active partners include the Bridgeport Department of Health & Social Services, Stratford Health Department, Optimus Health Care, Southwest Community Health Center, Fones School of Dental Hygiene at the University of Bridgeport, ABCD Head Start Program, CT Dental Health Partnership, and the CT Oral Health Initiative (COHI). 

ORBIT received funding from the Connecticut Health Foundation from 2002-2010.  During this period ORBIT:

• Increased the number of preventive and restorative treatment visits to local children ages 0-18 by 356% (2002-2007)
• Significantly decreased the number of dental “no shows” at the two participating Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Implemented a dental sealants program in the Bridgeport public schools
• Implemented a dental screening program in the Stratford public schools
• Advocated for increased state reimbursement to HUSKY dental providers, contributing to improved access to dental care for HUSKY-insured families in the Greater Bridgeport area
• Provided free dental care valued at $446,000 to more than 1,000 uninsured and underinsured children through Give Kids A Smile®, in partnership with the Bridgeport Dental Association

ORBIT continues to meet bimonthly to address oral health care access in Greater Bridgeport.  For information, contact Project Director Joan Lane at (203) 372-5503, or jlane@swctahec.org.

Stamford

The Stamford Oral Health Collaborative began in 2001 as an active partnership of Stamford agencies involved in the direct provision of dental services to underserved children in Stamford. The goal of the Stamford Collaborative was to develop a seamless system of integrated oral health services for all Stamford children and to meet or exceed the health objectives established in Healthy People 2010. Prevention and treatment service capacity was increased to underserved children in locations where children were spending most of their time: schools, pre-schools, and WIC offices, and referral linkages were cemented between the school-based services and a network of community-based oral health providers.  In the fall of 2009 an expanded Oral Health Collaborative was formed to encourage ideas and practices that would increase oral health care access, promote health and health literacy, eliminate health disparities, and reduce disease and disability for all underserved Stamford residents, while strengthening cooperation among all health providers. The Stamford Oral Health Collaborative, co-chaired by Adele Gordon, site director for Community Health Centers, Inc. and Jody Bishop-Pullan, Dental Case Manager for the Stamford Dept. of Health and Social Services, currently consists of representatives from the Dept. of Health, the Health Commission, community health centers, school based health centers, Stamford Hospital, Head Start, the Stamford Dental Society, Senior Services, School Readiness Council, and private practice dentists.