Near the beginning of my 40-plus-year career in public health in Maine, I served as director of the Office of Dental Health in the Maine Department of Human Services, from 1980-88. Sadly, over the decades since, Maine’s oral health program has been largely dismantled and defunded – a tragedy for the health and well-being of our state’s children.

For this reason, I am writing to urge public support for the inclusion of $300,000 in funding for L.D. 1501, An Act to Protect Oral Health for Children in Maine, in the supplemental budget. This modest request will help children access oral health screenings, education and preventive fluoride varnish and just as importantly, will restore the Oral Health Coordinator position – eliminated more than eight years ago in the Maine CDC.

Prevention is incredibly cost-effective, with every dollar invested resulting in approximately $10 in savings in public and private insurance costs.

For many years, Maine had an exemplary state oral health program that ensured that virtually every elementary school in Maine had a dental health education program (part of the school district health education curriculum) with classroom instruction, toothbrushes and floss, weekly fluoride mouth rinse (with parental permission), dental screenings and referrals to treatment. This program was free to schools, and was popular and well-accepted because it made a huge difference.

Funding L.D. 1501 will not restore the oral health program to its ideal capacity, but it is a critical start. This is a smart investment that will result in long term savings and better overall health for Maine children.

Deborah Deatrick, MPH
Cumberland Foreside

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