State Office of Dental Health Welcomes New Dental Director
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his past August, Jacqueline Miller, DDS, MS, MPH, was named the Missouri State Dental Director. Dr. Miller prac- ticed orthodontics for 29 years in Washington, Sullivan and Eureka, and she retired from private practice in May 2022.
“Dr. Miller will continue the public health initiatives put forth by the previous director, Dr. Guy Deyton, and we look forward to her help- ing to increase the dental professionals’ workforce, which has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Paula Nickelson, acting director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which houses the state’s Office of Dental Health (ODH).
Dr. Miller also will promote an increase in the Preventive Services Program, which provides fluoride varnish applications, dental screenings and education and referrals for thousands of Missouri children. She looks forward to utilizing her Master of Public Health in an “encore career” to improve the oral health of all Missourians.
She would like to initiate a pilot program, working with high schools and career centers, for high school junior and seniors to graduate with a diploma and a certificate in dental assisting. She will continue to help implement a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant for a pilot study utilizing teledentistry to extend care to underserved populations includ- ing long term health facilities and veterans. The pilot study will evaluate teledentistry as a mode of supervision in periodontal interventional care. Dr. Miller also hopes to encourage dental prac- titioners and personnel to initiate the conversation with parents about the importance of the HPV vaccination in preventing future oral cancer. If the dental team can encourage the HPV vaccination starting at age 9, thousands of future head and neck cancers can be prevented. It is the only vaccination available that prevents cancer.
She is excited to encourage MDA members to attend the first Missouri Water Fluoridation Summit. The Office of Dental Health is collaborating with sponsors (ADA, CDC, Missouri Coali- tion for Oral Health and Delta Dental) to host the Summit October 13-14 at the Holiday Inn in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The Summit will showcase the newly developed fluoride pellet system—the first new community water fluoride system in several decades. Attendees will tour the public water system and attend lectures on the development and implementation of the new system. Sessions will include ADA CERP CE credits through the Missouri Primary Care Association, free of charge! Please utilize this registration link if you would like to attend:
bit.ly/mocwfsummit.
Dr. Miller brings an extensive history of leadership, advocacy for dentistry and volunteerism both in Missouri and abroad. She has served multiple positions in the American Association of Orthodontists, most recently on its Council on Communication. In 2011 she was the first fe- male to hold the office of president of the Midwestern Society of Orthodontists. She has made 24 dental mission trips and participated in Give Kids a Smile and Missouri Mission of Mercy. She is planning on continuing her overseas mission trips in 2023.
Dr. Miller earned her DDS degree with distinction from the UMKC School of Dentistry and then was accepted to the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry and grad- uated with a Master of Science and Certificate in Orthodontics. In July 2022, she earned her Master of Public Health degree from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences. She looks forward to using her experience and education to extend dental services to the underserved populations of Missouri, initiating programs to address these dental needs and increase dental education to all Missouri citizens, partners and stakeholders in improving dental health. Visit
health.mo.gov/ OralHealth to learn more about Missouri’s oral health programs. Contact Dr. Miller at
jacqueline.miller@
health.mo.gov or 573-751-5874.
Massachusetts Dental Society, ADA are urging all dentists to support unprecedented ballot measure to improve value of dental benefits
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he Massachusetts Dental Society and ADA are urging all dental pro- viders to support a November state- wide ballot initiative that will require dental insurance carriers to spend at least 83 percent of premium dollars on patient care rather than on adminis- trative costs, salaries and profits. In a September 15 email to members, ADA President Dr. Cesar Sabates, said the ADA has committed $5 million to the Massachusetts Dental Care Providers for Better Dental Benefits campaign.
“The ADA is proud to join with the Massachusetts Dental Society to help support this measure, and we are asking for your support as well,” Dr. Sabates said. “Please consider finan- cially contributing to the campaign to support a ‘yes’ vote on Massachusetts Question 2. Why? Because if we win in Massachusetts, it will be a watershed moment for patients and dentistry, setting a precedent that could herald future change for dental insurance across the country. All dentists, dental team members and patients are the beneficiaries of this initiative. We are a dental family standing together to protect and advocate for our patients.”
To contribute to the campaign or learn more about the Massachusetts ballot initiative, visit
VoteYESon2ForDental.com. For the full ADA News article, visit
bit.ly/supportmass.
ISSUE 5 | SEP/OCT 2022 | focus 19
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