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PARTNERS | HEALTHY CITY | HOW HEALTHY | VISION | SUMMIT | PRIORITIES | FUNCTIONS | CITY OF FALL RIVER |
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An estimated 75 percent of American adults
over the age of 35 have some form of periodontal disease. However,
when surveyed, eight out of ten people believed they did not have
periodontal disease. Until its advanced stage, periodontal disease
is usually painless. Yet up to 90 percent of all systemic diseases
including kidney disease, diabetes, and heart diseases have links to
oral health. Because the mouth is the beginning of the digestive
system, it plays a significant role in proper digestion. Improper
digestion may cause a variety of digestive and intestinal
difficulties. Researchers tell us that if you neglect or have
inadequate oral health care, it can contribute to the development of
heart disease and increase your risk of stroke. In order to address
this, the
Central Massachusetts AHEC, Inc.'s Outreach
Worker Training Institute
(OWTI) developed a course on "Oral Health - Making the
Connection to Overall Health"in collaboration with the
Massachusetts Association of
Community Health Workers (MACHW).
Funded by The DentaQuest Foundation, training sessions were offered free of charge for Community Health Workers in Massachusetts, and one session was held at SSTAR on September 30, 2010. For more information, contact Keicha DeJesus at 508-675-1054, extension 3399 or 3227. |
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(Top row, left) Outreach Worker Training Institute Program Director Tatyana Gorodetsky welcomes the community health workers, Head Start staff, and others to the training in the SSTAR classroom. (Top row, right) Gretchen Nahkala, Public Health Registered Dental Hygienist goes over the course outline for the morning. (Middle row, left) HealthFirst staff member Linda Hennessey and Betty Nunes of the HealthFirst dental clinic ask some preliminary questions. (Middle row, right) Cindy Martins responds to their questions. (Bottom row) SSTAR Health Access Program Coordinator Keicha DeJesus introduces herself and then listens to introductions from Deborah Orlando of Kool Smiles, Lisa Alves of the Fall River WIC program, SSTAR HIV/AIDS Coordinator Albert Ruffin, and STARR staffer Bea Dean. |
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