Wampsville, N.Y. — With money from the Barclay-Giel Seed Grant, the Madison County Department of Health will be launching an oral health community campaign.

“We here at the Health Department are pleased to announce that we have been awarded the $7,500 grant to launch an Oral Health Community Campaign in Madison County,” said Eric Faisst, director of Madison County Public Health. “Madison County has the dubious distinction of having the highest number of third grade children with dental caries [cavities] in the State. With this money we hope to educate the public and improve oral health in our children.”

In 2018, the Madison County Department of Health formed a collaborative group of community organizations around the issue of oral health. The group identified three evidence-based strategies to reduce tooth decay among children: Community water fluoridation, offering fluoride varnish at well child visits and promoting the importance of preventive dental care.

In April 2019, the department released its 2019 Oral Health in Madison County report that provided baseline data on oral health conditions and strategies to address the issue. The department will further research campaigns targeted to specific community needs. Materials including informational tool kits, provider detailing kits and other outreach materials will be created and/or ordered by the end of the year.

The $7,500 is from the grant program was funded by the PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health. The Seed Grants program is named after the late Martha Barclay-Giel, a retired captain of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. Barclay-Giel dedicated her life’s work to advancing the health of Americans.

Madison County was one of 15 (out of 251 applicants) community-based public health programs nationwide chosen to receive grant money.

Those looking for more information or have questions about oral health can call the Madison County Health Department at 315-366-2526, or go to www.healthymadisoncounty.org to learn more.

*Original article online at https://www.oneidadispatch.com/news/local-news/madison-county-health-department-receives-national-grant-for-oral-health/article_ddd95720-969f-11e9-97c9-378e5bb6bb68.html

Note from the Fluoride Action Network: See also:

• The Oral Health Report for Madison County 2019, http://fluoridealert.org/wp-content/uploads/madison-county.ny_.report.2019.pdf

• The Policy Statement for Fluoridation in Madison and Dane Counties, http://fluoridealert.org/wp-content/uploads/ny.madison-dane-counties.policy-statement.fluoridation-2019.pdf

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