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AAPHD accepts the challenge to improve total health for all citizens through the development and support of effective programs of oral health promotion and disease prevention. Join us in this effort - Click here to become a Member!

AAPHD Announces New Journal of Public Health Dentistry Special Issue Focused on Oral Health Equity

AAPHD is pleased to share the Journal of Public Health Dentistry special issue, Forward Together: Advancing Health Equity in Uncertain Times, developed in partnership with CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.

Co-edited by Josefine Ortiz Wolfe and Eleanor Fleming, this special issue brings together researchers, educators, advocates, clinicians, and community leaders to advance oral health equity through workforce development, policy, education, advocacy, research, and community engagement.

The collection explores both persistent disparities and practical strategies to move the field forward amid significant uncertainty across public health and healthcare systems.

Featured articles explore practical and emerging approaches to advancing oral health equity, including workforce development, policy and advocacy, patient perspectives, community- engaged care models, educational innovation, and systems-level strategies designed to improve access, outcomes, and public health impact.

This special issue reflects AAPHD’s ongoing commitment to advancing public health approaches that support equitable oral health outcomes across communities.

AAPHD extends its appreciation to the guest editors, authors, reviewers, editorial contributors, and partner organizations whose work made this issue possible.

Read the Special Issue

Special thank you to CareQuest for underwriting the JPHD Special Issue.

Registration Now Open: AAPHD 2026 Student Symposium

2026 AAPHD June Webinar: From Research to Regulation: Translating DPH Evidence into Policy Action

AAPHD Announces Launch of DPH Reference Materials Committee

AAPHD is pleased to highlight the launch of its Dental Public Health Reference Materials Committee, a newly created standing committee of AAPHD that is dedicated to advancing excellence in dental public health education and practice. 

The charge of the DPH Reference Materials Committee is to develop and maintain a curated list of essential dental public health references that aligns with the competencies of the Dental Public Health specialty. This effort supports board examination candidates, program directors, and AAPHD members by providing a trusted, competency-based foundation of key resources. 

The committee is responsible for developing and maintaining a reference list that will be:

• Organized by DPH competency
• Released at NOHC 2027 and updated annually thereafter
• Available to all AAPHD members through the members-only section of the AAPHD website

To ensure relevance and alignment with board certification standards, the committee will work in consultation with the American Board of Dental Public Health (ABDPH). Through this initiative, AAPHD reaffirms its commitment to supporting education and lifelong learning in dental public health by providing members with high-quality, relevant, and accessible reference materials. We are grateful to the inaugural members below for sharing their time and expertise toward this effort.

Members:

• Chair: Sangeeta Gajendra, Eastman Institute for Oral Health 
• Vice Chair: Lyubov Slashcheva, Apple Tree Dental
• Mary Tavares, Boston University
• Sohini Dhar, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Megan Cloidt, Jacobi Medical Center
• Kimberly Raleigh, University of Detroit Mercy 
• Tammy Duangthip, The Ohio State University 
• Darien Weatherspoon, University of Maryland 
• Scott Tomar, University of Illinois Chicago
• Linda Niessen, Kansas City University 
• Gloria Mejia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
• Mona Abdelrehim, University of Toronto, Canada 
• Anneta Bitouni, Texas A&M University 
• Dalia Meisha, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia