Our Vision
A country in which all persons regardless of their disabilities have universal access to oral health care.
Our Mission
Oral Health, Total Health delivers on three goals: to educate more dental students and residents on how to care for persons with special needs, to raise awareness and educate community access workers to provide oral care for these individuals, and to provide Mount Sinai’s dental clinic with the funding it needs to continue its fundamental services for this population. » Why Mount Sinai?
OHTH Initiatives
- Annual Sharing Smiles Days
- Party for a Cause: Fundraiser gala
- Lecture Presentations: University Faculty of Dentistry undergraduate students, dental hygiene College students and managers of Community Living facilities across Ontario
- Production of an instructional oral care DVD and guidelines on proper oral hygiene for persons with special needs. Supplied to all Community Living facilities across Ontario and to be implemented in the training of new staff (see Resources)
- Constant advocacy for universal access to oral health care for persons with special needs through media opportunities (see News)
Oral Health, Total Health.
With your generosity,
we can
make a difference.
Did You Know?
-
To ensure proper oral hygiene,
try brushing your teeth
how they grow:
FROM the gum line,
and onto the teeth. -
The gum line is the area most missed when brushing;
coincidently it is
of importance for
one’s oral health. -
The most important
time to brush your
teeth is before
you go to bed. -
You can boil a rubber door stop and try using it as a mouth prop to assist in brushing the
teeth of individuals
who may not be
willing to open
their mouths. -
Use a pea size amount of fluoridated toothpaste when brushing, it is okay
if this small amount
is swallowed. -
When brushing the teeth of a person with special needs, if possible, have the
individual sit so
you can stand
behind them. -
The oral cavity plays a prominent role in an individual’s quality of life as it pertains to communication, nutrition, emotional expression, taste, social appearance and self-esteem
-
Increasing numbers of people with mental retardation no longer live in institutions, and
are dependent on
dentists in
private practice
for care. -
Current research shows that persons with disabilities have greater levels of
periodontal
disease. -
Current research shows that persons with disabilities present with a poorer state
of oral hygiene. -
In Ontario, with over 12 million residents; approximately
1.85 million people
have a disability. -
In Canada in 2006, 14.3% of the population had a disability representing
4.4 million people.
