CO POHAC Report – April 2023

Early March in DC is blossoming with cherry blossoms, sprinkled with middle schoolers exploring the Capitol, and, for three days, filled with pediatric dentists and pediatric dental residents. Three residents from Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHCO), pictured below, joined forces with faculty member Dr. Scott Smith, residents from Denver Health (DH), and Denver Health program director, Dr. Jeffery Kahl, to advocate for issues surrounding pediatric oral health. 

The week kicked off with exercises on how to pitch an advocacy issue, and residents had the opportunity to practice how to advocate for issues in pediatric dentistry, such as Medicaid coverage for 3 month recalls for high-risk children, water fluoridation, or any choice of issue. After reciting an elevator pitch, residents received feedback from peers at other institutions, as well as long time members of AAPD with extensive experience advocating for children’s dental health. After additional training on the 3 specific AAPD asks for 2023, and panels featuring some of the biggest voices from the big authority on little teeth, we were ready to hit the hill and start advocating!   

Under the experienced tutelage of Dr. Kahl and Dr. Smith, all CHCO residents and DH residents and interns had the opportunity to advocate for one of the three main asks of the AAPD in a variety of meetings with staff from offices of representatives and senators from Colorado! We advocated for continued support of Title VII of the Public Health Service Act to support young pediatric dentists entering academic settings as faculty; acceptance of the new dental billing code used for GA at hospitals at ambulatory surgery centers as well; and supporting the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA), which would help ensure coverage for medically necessary dental surgery and treatment for patients born with craniofacial anomalies. The experience personally impacted the residents in different ways, and we have chosen to share our personal thoughts with you below. On behalf of the CHCO pediatric dental residents who attended POHAC, we are very grateful for the support of the CAPD and the SWSPD.    

“Having lived in DC and worked for the government before dental school, having the opportunity to be on the other side of the table, asking legislators for support on pediatric oral health, something that is essentially my whole world as a resident, but merely a meeting in their busy agendas, was extremely impactful. Seeing how quickly we could convey the issues and boil down our biggest priority as aspiring pediatric dentists into something people outside of dentistry can care about too! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to attend POHAC which wouldn’t have been possible without support of the CAPD and SWSPD!”   — Dr. Kate Trieschman, PGY-1 at CHCO

“It was an honor and privilege to lobby for essential healthcare issues in Washington, DC on behalf of all pediatric dentists in Colorado. As someone who has had experience lobbying with legislators on many different issues as a dental student, it was a different experience being at the table as a resident speaking on children’s oral health. We learned effective strategies to convey the issues and ask for support to improve children’s oral health on a state and national scale. I feel extremely grateful for the support of the CAPD and SWSPD because without these organizations such an opportunity would not exist. I look forward to continuing to be involved in advocacy efforts because the children we serve everyday rely on us!”   — Dr. Regina Varghese, PGY-1 at CHCO  

“Having lived in the DC metro area before, I often walked by government buildings and wondered the conversations being had inside. Thanks to support of the CAPD and SWSPD, I had the opportunity to be inside those very buildings and have meaningful conversations about pediatric oral health with our state’s congressional aides. I learned invaluable skills in advocacy that I will use throughout my career as I continue to advocate for pediatric oral health. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to attend POHAC which would not have been possible without the support from CAPD and SWSPD.”   — Dr. Alison Wehde, PGY-1 at CHCO