history
The Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies (OKACAA), housing the Head Start State Collaboration Office (HSSCO), has been instrumental in the statewide collaborative planning process to improve the oral health of children in Oklahoma. The Children's Oral Health Forum was funded by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and presented by OKACAA in February 2003. A result of that forum was the creation of the Oral Health Coalition and the subsequent merger with the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY) Dental Task Force to become the Children's Oral Health Coalition (COHC).
COHC has since worked to bring together representative of the various state and local organizations addressing children's oral health in order to coordinate efforts and maximize results.
From its inception, the focus of the Children's Oral Health Coalition has been the dental health needs of children, including those with disabilities and special needs. Recognizing that addressing the oral health of the entire family is vital to the success of impacting the oral health of the children, in 2012 the Coalition expanded its mission and vision.
past leadership
2003-2012
As co-chairs for several years, Kay Floyd, Director of the Head State Collaboration Office (left), and Sally Selvidge, Family Outreach Coordinator for Sooner SUCCESS, dedicated countless hours to the Coalition.
2012-13 Officers (left to right)
Vice-Chair: Susan Potter, Dental Program Administration Manager of the Oklahoma State Dept. of Health Dental Health Service.
Chair: Terrisa Singleton, Manager, Delta Dental of Oklahoma Oral Health Foundation.
Secretary: Barbara Lopez, Assistant Executive Director, D-DENT.