Surgeon General Calls for Greater Partnerships to Meet Oral Health Needs of Black Males; Audio Available on Joint Center Web site 6/14/2004
From: Liselle Yorke of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, 202-789-6366 or lyorke(at)jointcenter.org, Dana Lauren West, 202-331-4323 or dwest(at)vancomm.com WASHINGTON, June 14 -- U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona has called for greater public-private partnerships to meet the oral health needs of Americans, especially black men and boys. Speaking at a June 10 briefing on oral health problems facing African American males hosted by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies' Health Policy Institute, Carmona said: "We know that men generally seek fewer health services than do females and that African American males face substantial challenges accessing health care." The Joint Center also released a new report at the forum. Visible Differences: Improving the Oral Health of African American Males highlights the health disparity and recommends several policy options for federal and state governments, dental schools, and private companies. Cleveland Cavaliers forward Eric Williams brought a personal touch to the briefing as he recounted the pains he suffered as a child because his mother could not afford the dental care he needed. Williams often skipped school to avoid oral presentations in class. He also spoke about the Believe In Me Foundation, which he founded last year to provide dental care to children. The other speakers were Dr. Ronald E. Inge, associate executive director, Division of Dental Practice, American Dental Association; Dr. Amid Ismail, professor and director, Detroit Center for Research on Oral Health Disparities, University of Michigan; and Shelly Gehshan, program director, National Conference of State Legislatures. Audio clips from the briefing are available at http://www.jointcenter.org in Real Player and Windows Media formats. The audio is of broadcast quality and may be used without restriction. It will be posted for 30 days. For photo images from the briefing, please contact Liselle Yorke, communications specialist, at 202-789-6366 or lyorke(at)jointcenter.org. ------ The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, conducts research and analyses on public policy issues of concern to African Americans and other minorities, promotes their involvement in the governance process, and operates programs that create coalitions within minority, business, and other diverse communities. For more information, visit http://www.jointcenter.org. |