Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene | Office of Oral Health | Family Health Administration
Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Marketing and Communications Plan
July 2011
II Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
1MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Table of Contents
PLAN PURPOSE ....................................................................................... 5
PLAN CREATION ...................................................................................... 6
Research ...........................................................................................6
Working Group ................................................................................... 6
Advisory Group ..................................................................................7
Statewide Oral Health Strategic Partnership Council.................................7
BACKGROUND .......................................................................................... 8
National Look ....................................................................................8
State Look .........................................................................................9
GUIDING PRINCIPLES .............................................................................11
PROGRAM PARAMETERS ........................................................................11
TARGET AUDIENCES ...............................................................................12
CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES ..........................................................................13
CAMPAIGN FACTORS ..............................................................................14
Barriers ...........................................................................................14
Benefits ..........................................................................................14
Influencers ......................................................................................15
CAMPAIGN OUTREACH STRATEGIES AND TACTICS ...................................16
Strategic Foundation .........................................................................16
Strategy 1: Define and promote a call to action ..........................................17
Tactic 1: Develop a messaging platform
Tactic 2: Develop campaign tools and resources
Strategy 2: Create a favorable environment and a sense of urgency ..............19
Tactic 1: Develop a paid advertising program
Tactic 2: Develop a media partnership program
Tactic 3: Work with text4baby
Tactic 4: Develop an earned media program (public relations)
Tactic 5: Develop a social media program
Tactic 6: Engage in community events
Tactic 7: Partner with local organizations
Tactic 8: Partner with an existing oral health van
Tactic 9: Partner with retailers and manufacturers
Tactic 10: Partner with a local restaurant chain
2 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Strategy 3: Reach mothers during critical oral health milestones ..................27
During Prenatal ........................................................................................27
Tactic 1: Partner with trusted third-party advocates
Tactic 2: Conduct media outreach
Tactic 3: Use social media
When baby is born ...................................................................................29
Tactic 1: Partner with trusted third-party advocates
Tactic 2: Partner with retailers, manufacturers and community organizations
Tactic 3: Conduct media outreach
Tactic 4: Use social media
First Tooth (no later than baby’s first birthday) ..............................................31
Tactic 1: Partner with trusted third-party advocates
Tactic 2: Develop and distribute “First Tooth Fairy Kit”
Tactic 3: Develop and distribute First Birthday Cards
Tactic 4: Work with service providers
Tactic 5: Conduct media outreach
Tactic 6: Use social media
Entering School ........................................................................................33
Tactic 1: Outreach through schools
Tactic 2: Outreach through health service providers
Tactic 3: Partner with after school programs
Reach mothers during other educable moments ............................................34
Tactic 1: Outreach through trusted third-party advocates
Tactic 2: Utilize other health milestones
Tactic 3: Utilize opportunities that arise through siblings
Tactic 4: Target food-based holidays
Tactic 5: Conduct media outreach
Tactic 6: Use social media
Strategy 4: Develop oral health kit ............................................................36
Tactic 1: Develop and test oral health kit concept
Tactic 2: Secure corporate sponsorships
Tactic 3: Develop educational materials
Strategy 5: Evaluate campaign effectiveness .............................................37
Tactic 1: Pre- and post-campaign surveys
Tactic 2: Test messaging through focus groups
Tactic 3: Services provided
Tactic 4: Individuals reached
Tactic 5: Materials distributed
Tactic 6: Funds leveraged
Tactic 7: Monitoring and course correction
Strategy 6: Provide a foundation for future work ........................................ 38
Tactic 1: Establish a brand foundation
Tactic 2: Community organization outreach
Tactic 3: Work with universities
3MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
APPENDICES ..........................................................................................39
APPENDIX A ............................................................................................ 39
Project Research ....................................................................................... 39
APPENDIX B ...........................................................................................41
Zip Code Map ..........................................................................................41
APPENDIX C ............................................................................................ 42
Working Group .........................................................................................42
Advisory Group ........................................................................................42
Statewide Oral Health Strategic Partnership Council ....................................... 43
4 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
“ Mankind owes to the child the best
it has to give.” United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Unless things change:
Dental caries will continue to increase among young children.
A third of children entering school will have untreated decay
in their primary teeth. More children will suffer, be deprived of
their potential and face premature death.
Things must change. Things can change. Dental caries is
predictable, preventable and suppressible.
5MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
PLAN PURPOSE
This plan provides a road map for the marketing and communications efforts of the
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) Ofce of Oral Health’s
Oral Health Literacy Campaign. This three-year plan is designed to support the program
over 18 months, but will rely on the campaign’s partners and their resources to extend
the campaign beyond the initial 18 months.
This plan exists for the use of DHMH staff, statewide planning council members,
consultants, strategic advisors, program partners and others who may have an interest
in elements of the plan, including partner agencies, corporations and private-sector
partners. It outlines the Oral Health Literacy Campaign’s goals, objectives, strategies
and tactics. Throughout, DHMH’s contracted social marketing rm, PRR, has identied
priority tactics that will be the responsibility of DHMH as well as suggestions on tactics
that partners would implement using their resources. DHMH will develop the tools
necessary for its partners to use to sustain the campaign.
This plan is intended for the broadest possible audience and contains explanatory
language in addition to tactical details. It is based on a social marketing approach and
identies strategies designed to increase awareness of proper oral care and change oral
health behaviors among pregnant women and mothers and guardians of infants and
children up to age six with a specic focus on traditionally underserved populations.
6 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
PLAN CREATION
The strategies and tactics outlined in the following pages were guided and informed
through the following approaches:
I. Research
Historically, health education campaigns have been driven primarily by three
variables: evidence, values and resources. This campaign is being implemented
during a period of economic turmoil and uncertainty. Perhaps, more than ever
before, it is important to rely on decisions that are evidence-based and driven by
empirical evidence.
– Adult telephone survey of individuals age 18 and older with a child age six
or younger (conducted by Alice M. Horowitz, PhD, School of Public Health,
University of Maryland)
– Four focus groups with individuals age 18 and older with a child age six
or younger or if mother or guardian was pregnant (conducted by Alice M.
Horowitz, PhD, School of Public Health, University of Maryland)
– Geo mapping of target audience residential locations (included in Appendix B)
– Literature review
2. Working Group
To help provide strategic council and access to others with the ability to leverage
the resources of this campaign DHMH assembled a 13-member Working Group.
(Member list is included in Appendix C.) On April 7, 2011, DHMH and PRR
facilitated a working group meeting to initiate planning for the campaign. The
meeting was designed to validate the program’s parameters, conrm the campaign’s
duration and identify roles and objectives. The discussion involved program
outreach tactics, messaging, inuencers, barriers, benets and potential partners.
7MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
3. Advisory Group
To help provide strategic council, access to others with the ability to leverage the
resources of this campaign and policy guidance, DHMH assembled a 25-member
Advisory Group. (Member list is included in Appendix B.) On April 28, 2011,
DHMH and PRR led an Advisory Group meeting designed to build on and
validate the working group meeting and the initial research ndings, including
reasons why the campaign should take a social marketing approach and next steps
for the campaign.
4. Statewide Oral Health Strategic Partnership Council
To further validate the information received through the previous three described
activities, and to identify and conrm additional campaign partnerships and
resources, on June 23, 2011, DHMH assembled a group of more than 110
health industry professionals from a cross-section of disciplines. (Participant list
is included in Appendix C.) During the meeting, participants provided feedback
on strategies initially identied for the campaign and insights regarding existing
resources and tools being used to communicate general and oral health messages
to residents and how they could be used as part of this campaign. Participants
also provided DHMH with their initial commitments to the campaign, including
resources, funding, training and community outreach. The key components of the
group’s discussion have been incorporated into this plan.
This plan will be reviewed and modied by DHMH staff and its consultant team
as conditions change or as new opportunities arise. Partnership commitments and
requirements may also modify the strategies and tactics in this plan.
DHMH wishes to acknowledge and thank the several hundred individuals and
organizations for their support, contributions, insights, advice and editing to the
campaign strategies.
8 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
BACKGROUND
National Look
Tooth decay is our nation’s single most common childhood disease. It is more common
than asthma and continues to increase among children two- to ve-years-old. If
left untreated, tooth decay can cause serious health problems, yet it is nearly 100%
preventable. According to the National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health in 2003,
published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
over 50% of ve- to nine-year-olds have at least one cavity or lling. This is a potential
risk for younger children as well, as 25% of poor children do not see a dentist before
entering kindergarten.
Low health literacy has been shown to contribute to an inadequate use of preventive
practices and increased use of emergency services.
1
There are profound differences in
dental disease as a result of income. Children in low-income families suffer twice as
many dental caries as their counterparts and the disease is more likely to be untreated
among this group than any other group. Since one out of four children in America is
born into poverty, the prevalence of dental care among this demographic group is low.
Tens of millions of children have dental coverage through either private insurance or a
public program such as Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Unfortunately, for many kids this does not translate into actual care. Nationwide,
access to care continues to be a serious problem, especially for children in low-income
households. An estimated 16.5 million kids go without even basic care each year. While
Medicaid has attempted to increase these numbers, it has not been able to alleviate the
problem. Less than one in ve Medicaid-covered children received a single dental visit in
a recent year-long study
2
.
The consequences of poor oral health extend beyond medical issues and have an impact
leading to problems in eating, speaking, learning and socializing. Research shows that
kids who do not receive needed dental care miss a signicant number of school days,
use expensive emergency room services more often and face worsened job prospects as
adults compared with their peers who do receive care.
1 Nielsen-Bohlman L. Panzer, AM, Kindig DA (eds.), Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health,
Committee on Health Literacy. 2004. Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion. Washington,
DC: National Academies Press.
2 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health.
Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National
Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. NIH Publication No. 03-
5303, Spring 2003. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/oralhealth/nationalcalltoaction.html
9MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
State Look
Maryland is the birthplace of the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and home to the rst
dental college in the world. Nationwide, Maryland is leading the way in oral health
care programs. On May 24, 2011, The Pew Center on the States released The State
of Children’s Dental Health: Making Coverage Matter by the Pew Children’s Dental
Campaign, which unveiled the status of each state’s dental program for children by
giving each a letter grade (A, B, C, D or F). Maryland was at the top of the list, receiving
an “A,” followed by six states, including AK, CT, ME, MA, MN and SC.
Even with this stellar foundation, the State of Maryland found itself in the limelight
of dental issues given the untimely and tragic death of Maryland resident Deamonte
Driver, a 12-year-old boy who died in 2007 due to an untreated dental infection.
This devastating tragedy brought light to similar deaths of children in other states,
unfathomable in a nation with the resources of ours. In Maryland, Deamonte Driver’s
death stimulated a series of major state events, including this campaign.
There is more work to do, particularly among traditionally underserved, low-income
populations. According to the Maryland Oral Health Plan for 2011-2015, The
Maryland Dental Action Coalition noted that the prevalence of untreated dental caries
was highest among school children whose parents were not college graduates, and
the prevalence of dental sealants was lower among school children eligible for free
or reduced-price meals
3
. There is a challenge for improving health outcomes of low-
income and minority populations, including parents and children enrolled in Medicaid.
However, Maryland currently has the best rates of any state for reimbursing dentists
who serve Medicaid-enrolled children.
The Survey of The Oral Health Status of Maryland School Children 2005-2006,
asserted that children living in non-uoridated communities have nearly 50% more
decayed teeth than children living in communities with uoridated water.
4
In Maryland,
93.8% of residents live in communities with uoridated water. While the national call
to action said that more than 50% of ve- to nine-year-olds have at least one cavity
or lling, in Maryland, only 29.7% of third graders and 32.6% of kindergartners had
untreated dental caries.
5
Additionally, while the national reports state that 25% of
poor children had not seen a dentist before entering kindergarten, The Burden of Oral
Diseases in Maryland reported that 83.1% of parents reported that their child visited a
3 Maryland Oral Health Plan 2011-2015. Columbia, MD: Maryland Dental Action Coalition.
4 Manski, R., Chen, H., Chenette, R.R., and Coller, S., Survey of The Oral Health Status of Maryland
School Children 2005-2006. Family Health Administration, Maryland Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene; Baltimore, Maryland 2007.
5 Survey of Oral Health Status of Maryland Public School Children 2000-2001, 2005-2006. http://fha.
maryland.gov/pdf/oralhealth/Burden_Oral_DiseasesimMaryland_May2010.pdf
10 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
dentist within the last 12 months.
6
While Maryland is on the right track, it is important
to continue the momentum and do all that can be done to prevent tragedies through
oral health literacy and access to care.
6 The Burden of Oral Diseases in Maryland. May 2010. http://fha.maryland.gov/pdf/oralhealth/Burden_
Oral_DiseasesimMaryland_May2010.pdf
11MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
This plan is guided by a spirit of exibility and will be modied and amended to
reect changing market conditions and information as it becomes available.
Consumers and the consumer environment can change signicantly and with little
notice.
Many strategies are intentionally written in broad terms with the understanding that
updates will occur when funding, additional research and implementation support
have been secured.
Messages will be packaged and put in hierarchal order to ensure they are simple,
direct and will focus on values and benets that are most important to the target
audience.
Resources are varying and there are many that share the same mission as the cam-
paign. Strategies and tactics are designed in such a way that they can be ranked,
prioritized and funded when funds are available.
PROGRAM PARAMETERS
Program duration
18 months, ending July 31, 2012
Program funds available
Total program budget:
– $845,000 for the base period
– $20,000 for each of two one-year options (option years are intended to support
ongoing hotline and website activities)
12 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
TARGET AUDIENCES
The Oral Health Literacy Campaign will focus outreach efforts toward pregnant women
and mothers or guardians of infants and children up to age six living in Maryland.
DHMH and PRR will work with program partners, including healthcare providers,
navigators and community organizations to reach our target audiences. Some campaign
efforts will extend beyond these core groups, while others will be more targeted. The
campaign target audiences include:
Primary – pregnant women and mothers or guardians of infants and children up
to age three enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid, State Children’s Health Insurance
Plan (SCHIP)
Secondary – mothers or guardians of children age three to six enrolled in or
eligible for Medicaid, SCHIP
13MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES
The goals of the Oral Health Literacy Campaign encompass public health and operational
objectives.
Public Health Objectives:
1. Increase prevention of dental caries among target audiences (weighted 70%).
Understanding
– Help mothers understand they have the power to impact their child’s oral health
and motivate them to take necessary action to achieve oral health.
– Oral health begins before birth and is important throughout life.
– Tooth decay is a preventable infectious disease that can be spread from mother
to child through sharing food, drinks and utensils.
– Fluoride is key in preventing tooth decay.
Action
– As a parent, practice good personal oral hygiene.
– Do notlay your babydown with a bottle containing juice or milk.
– Do not share food, drinks or utensils to avoid spreading oral infections.
– Clean baby’s gums and teeth.
– Brush using uoride toothpaste.
2. Increase number of dentist visits among target audiences (weighted 30%).
– Visit a dentist during pregnancy.
– Get baby to a dentist or Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment
(EPSDT) by baby’s rst birthday.
Operational Objective:
Demonstrate campaign impacts to facilitate further funding and support.
14 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
CAMPAIGN FACTORS
Barriers
General lack of awareness of the importance of oral health care
Do not understand the need for and benets of prevention
Competing nancial and time priorities
Access – lack of transportation, Medicaid does not cover, too expensive
Lack of urgency
Parents and guardians do not know nancial support is available
Fear of government and residency requirements
Language – 117 languages are spoken in Maryland
Lower levels of literacy
Emergency room meets their needs
Preference for non-western medical practices
Medicaid process is confusing
Reluctance of many dentists to participate in publicly-nanced programs
Scarcity of pediatric dentists
Bad experiences with dentists
Cannot nd a suitable provider or don’t know how to nd a dentist
Concerns about condentiality
Benefits
Dental caries are predictable and preventable – prevention does not hurt
You are a good parent and protector of your child
Save money in the long run
Healthy teeth let your child eat correctly and sleep well, allowing them to learn
and grow
Can reduce the number of missed school days
Will help prevent bad breath
Can reduce the risk of bad speech
Help improve your child’s self-perception and condence
Starting good behaviors early increases the chances they will extend through life
15MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Influencers
Community organiza-
tions (WIC, Head Start)
Media (TV, radio, web,
social media)
Peers
Religious leaders
OBGYNs
Pediatricians
Primary care physicians
Nurses
Dentists/hygienists
Beauty shops/salons
Schools
Employers
Outreach workers
Social service agencies
Local health departments
16 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
CAMPAIGN OUTREACH
STRATEGIES AND
TACTICS
Strategic Foundation
Strategies and tactics are designed to reach the target audiences directly and through the
use of “trusted advocates.” They are focused on the following ve milestones, which
provide signicant touchpoint opportunities:
1. During pregnancy
2. At birth
3. First tooth or rst birthday
4. Entering school
5. Other health educable moments
The following six strategies are built on this foundation:
1. Dene and promote a call to action
2. Create a favorable environment and a sense of urgency
3. Reach mothers during critical milestones
4. Develop an oral health kit
5. Evaluate campaign effectiveness
6. Provide a foundation for future work; continuation of tactics past the initial
18-months of the campaign
Tactic Prioritization Color Key
Red Font: Primary
Blue Font: Secondary
Green Font: Tertiary
17MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Strategy 1: Define and promote a call to action
Tactic 1: Develop a messaging platform
A messaging platform will be created and will include key messages to reach
pregnant women, mothers and guardians during critical oral health milestones. The
messages will be simple, benet driven and resonate on an emotional level. Messaging
will emphasize that good oral health is an important part of overall health and
protecting your child’s oral health begins before birth and continues throughout life.
It will dene what good oral health is, why it is important and how to accomplish
it. The language used in the messaging will be very basic, easy to understand and
culturally sensitive. Materials will include images to help communicate to low-
literacy levels.
The campaign’s call to action will focus on encouraging pregnant women and
mothers to carry out the following two actions:
1. Care for your own and your child’s mouth.
2. Get your child to the dentist by their rst birthday or rst tooth, whichever
is rst.
Tactic 2: Develop campaign tools and resources
Make it easy for the target audience to obtain the information and tools necessary to
practice good oral hygiene with their child.
Campaign website
– Oral health information organized according to audience:
– Mother or guardian by oral health milestone: prenatal, newborn, rst tooth, age
one to three, age three to six and entering school
o How to care for child’s teeth at each oral health milestone.
o Database of pediatric dentists or EPSDT-trained physician in Maryland who
accept Medicaid.
o Order a free oral health kit
– Service providers and trusted third-party advocates
o Basic information about oral health care for infants and children up to age
six.
o Tools and materials for campaign outreach.
– Sponsors and partners
o Benets of becoming a campaign sponsor or partner.
o How to become a sponsor or partner and what’s involved.
Toll-free phone hotline
– For Medicaid-enrolled pregnant women, mothers and guardians of infants and
children up to age six to call to locate a dentist, request information and order a
free oral health kit.
18 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Free oral health kit
– Develop a free oral health kit that will include oral hygiene education
information and tools for the mother and child.
– Kit materials will be solicited from corporate sponsors and branded to reect
the campaign look, feel and messaging.
– Kits will be distributed in person at events, by service providers, retail stores,
clinics, community organizations and via mail.
Trusted third-party advocates
– There are many organizations and individuals that have personal relationships
with, and are trusted by, the campaign’s target audience. These organizations
and individuals are in a unique position to have a one-on-one, face-to-face
discussion with pregnant women and mothers of young children. DHMH will
develop relationships with these organizations ask them to provide training
for their staff, to include oral health messaging in their discussions and to
distribute oral health education materials and kits to the target audience.
– Potential advocates include: Local Health Departments, community centers
and health clinics, faith-based organizations, employers, WIC, Head Start,
Early Head Start, The Centerfor Maternal and Child Health, Advocates for
Children and Youth, Center for Urban Families, Maryland Family Network
and Maryland Alliance for the Poor.
– The following process will be used to identify trusted advocates and to build
and sustain relationships with them:
o Develop prospect lists
o Establish outreach priorities
o Identify appropriate contacts
o Meet with each organization
o Identify opportunities
o Create roundtable of advisors
o Develop support materials
o Provide tracking and feedback loops
o Ongoing monitoring
o Ongoing outreach
19MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Strategy 2: Create a favorable environment and a sense of urgency
Tactic 1: Develop a paid advertising campaign
Use paid advertising to increase overall awareness of the need and urgency for oral
hygiene, the positive impacts of taking action and the potential risks if no action is
taken. Mass media provides the opportunity to target our audiences, control the message
and have condence in the reach and frequency received for the investment.
The media plan will include the following:
Diverse Media Mix: The campaign’s audience is extremely diverse, driving the need to
use a variety of media to increase message exposure. Media formats could include:
Television (both broadcast and cable)
Radio
Print
– Community and local newspapers and magazines
– Ethnic and minority publications
Transit
– Bus shelter ads, interior bus ads, metro rail ads in stations and inside trains.
Solid Reach and Frequency: Ensure a strong reach and frequency for each advertising
medium. Rationale: People are constantly bombarded with a lot of messages and
traditionally rely on more than one medium for information. Our message must be
placed in the media formats and outlets used by our audiences in such a way to ensure
we reach as many individuals as possible, as many times as possible for the least cost per
person.
Third-Party Research Tools: Utilize media research tools to evaluate the appropriate
media formats and outlets for reaching the target audiences. Research will be conducted
using data from Arbitron (radio), Nielson (TV), ComScore (online) and Media Audit
(total audience). Rationale: Increases efciency of ad dollars by honing in on specic
media, day of week, day part, program, etc.
20 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Tactic 2: Develop a media partnership program
Establish media partnerships to leverage the campaign’s advertising presence into
a larger, more visible force. This is also benecial for partners because it positions
them as a community and health leader, while increasing their advertising buying
power. Media partners will be asked to collaboratively identify and recruit local
companies that can help spread the campaign’s messages through a collective
media campaign. The partnership program would work as follows:
Work with potential media partners to secure three to four paid partners to
enhance exposure of the overall advertising campaign. Partners could be recruited
from categories, such as: 1) Retail, 2) Food Providers, 3) Medical, and 4) Product
manufacturers.
Partners would be asked to contribute dollars to an advertising buy. In order to
participate, they would also be asked to display point-of-purchase (POP) materials
and promote the campaign’s message in their stores and through social media
channels.
Partners would also be asked to provide pricing incentives on oral hygiene
products, which can include desirable food products.
In order to participate, participants would be required to invest a predetermined
monetary amount.
Tactic 3: Work with text4baby
Reach mothers through the mobile information service text4baby (text4baby.org),
a successful and free text-message service that delivers informational messages to
expectant mothers and mothers of infants to help them properly care for their baby and
connects them to prenatal and infant care services. The service is available in English
and Spanish.
Develop oral health text messages for text4baby to deliver to Maryland residents.
Tailor the messages to oral health milestones.
Provide the campaign website URL and toll-free hotline number.
Tactic 4: Develop an earned media program (public relations)
Media outreach is very effective for educating multiple audiences and changing social
norms. PRR will work with DHMH to develop a proactive media outreach strategy
to national and regional media outlets to reach and engage the campaign’s target
audiences, as well as policymakers, organizations, professionals and communities. Below
is a list of potential media relations tactics.
Develop a National Pitching Strategy.
– Highlight Maryland’s nationwide leadership in oral health by leveraging the
May 2011 PEW Center on the State’s report, The State of Children’s Dental
Health: Making Coverage Matter.
– Develop a case study (and success story) around the Oral Health Literacy
Campaign.
21MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
– Develop relationships with and pitch medical and dental industry trade and
association publications and member newsletters.
o Highlight the campaign resources available for medical providers.
o Place authored articles about Maryland’s oral health progress and the
campaign. Dental and medical experts like Dr. Warren Brill, Dr. Harry
Goodman or a medical expert from the American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry would be asked to author articles.
– Potential media outlets:
o Mainstream national media outlets include: CNN American Morning,
USA Today, National Public Radio (NPR), New York Times, Washington
Post, Scientic American
o National trade and association publications include: American Family
Physician and AAFP News Now magazine (American Academy of Family
Physicians), General Dentistry and AGA Impact (Academy of General
Dentistry), Access (American Dental Hygienists’ Association) Pediatrics
(American Academy of Pediatrics), The ADA News and Woman Dentist
Journal (American Dental Association), Pediatric Dentistry (American
Academy of Pediatric Dentistry), AGD Impressions newsletter (Academy
of General Dentistry – Maryland Chapter’s), Ob. GYN. News Online,
Mdental (University of Maryland Dental School), Oracle (Southern
Maryland Dental Society).
Develop a Local Pitching Strategy.
– The strategy would include print, broadcast and online media.
– Develop articles for submission to local daily newspapers, written by medical
and dental experts on behalf of the campaign. The articles will highlight the
campaign tools and resources, including the toll-free hotline number and
website address. Possible article topics include:
o Oral Health is Critical for Overall Health. Focus on the importance of
regular oral care and how it relates to overall health.Teeth and gums
hold important clues to other health issues.
o Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Crisis. What is baby bottle tooth decay,
otherwise known as dental caries, and how to prevent it?
o Healthy Teeth, Happy Babies. Moms, taking care of your health will
improve your baby’s dental health.
o Get it Done in Year One. A delayed rst visit to the dentist can affect
a child’s lifelong oral health. Experts recommend visiting the pediatric
dentist by the time the rst baby tooth appears, enabling the child to
begin a lifetime of preventative dental health, which can minimize tooth
decay and other dental problems.
o Pregnancy and Oral Health. Dentist care is required during pregnancy
for a healthy mom and baby.
o The Power of the Bottle. Do not lay your babydown with a bottle
containing juice or milk.
22 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
– Potential media outlets: The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore’s
Child, Washington Post, Washington Times, Baltimore Examiner, Harford
County Weekender, Carroll Standard, Avenue News Essex, East County Times,
Gaithersburg Gazette, Frederick News-Post, Cumberland Times-News, Carroll
County Times, Maryland Gazette, The Daily Record and Frederick County
Gazette.
Work with Local TV Stations. Provide a personal story of a child impacted by
dental caries by identifying mothers who can talk to the impacts of not taking
action. This will create a visual story about the impacts of tooth decay on a
child’s health as part of their overall health; emphasize the Oral Health Literacy
Campaign’s mission to increase oral care of infants and young children.
– Develop personal proles.
– Recruit and secure professional spokespeople.
– Highlight oral health tips and steps for mothers during prenatal, at birth and at
child’s rst birthday.
– Potential media outlets include: WMAR-TV (ABC-Baltimore), WBAL-TV
(NBC-Baltimore), WJZ-TV (CBS), WBFF-TV (FOX), WMPB-TV (PBS-
Baltimore), WHAG-TV (NBC-Hagerstown), WBOC-TV (CBS-Salisbury),
WMDT-TV (ABC-Salisbury).
Develop an Ethnic and Minority Media Pitching Strategy. Develop a media
outreach strategy targeting key ethnic and minority media to reach ethnic (speci-
cally English as a Second Language populations) and minority moms enrolled in
Medicaid throughout Maryland.
– Demonstrate how certain populations are even more at risk than their
counterparts.
Work with a local program partner to help identify families who would be willing
to tell their stories to help motivate others.
– Develop personal proles.
– Recruit and secure professional spokespeople.
– Highlight oral health tips and steps for mothers during prenatal, at birth and at
child’s rst birthday.
– Potential media outlets include: Washington Hispanic and Latin Opinion
newspaper, Univision Television Network, Telemundo and WILC-AM
(Hispanic music, news and pop), the Larry Young Morning Show, Baltimore
Afro-American, Heart and Soul and Baltimore Times newspaper, Take Pride
community magazine and WERQ-AM (African American, Gospel and
Religious), On Time - WJZ-TV.
23MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Develop a Blog Pitching Strategy. To help engage medical professionals in reaching
out to target populations, we need to reach them where they access information,
including local health and dental blogs. Establish an ongoing relationship with
local and national bloggers who cover health and wellness, dental and Medicaid
topics. Blogs will also help ensure that we reach healthcare providers, includ-
ing dentists, hygienists, nurse and family practitioners who might not have been
reached directly through other strategies implemented by the Oral Health Literacy
Campaign. In addition, moms might access the blogs when researching informa-
tion about their child’s health.
– Potential blogs include: Picture of Health (baltimoresun.com), Health
Affairs Blog (healthaffairs.org/blog), MedlinePlus en espanol, MomsLikeMe,
MomTini Lounge, Charm City Moms (baltimoresun.com), Baby Blog
(carrollcountytimes.com), Baltimore’s Child (blog and email newsletter),
Baltimore Magazine’s parenting blog.
Develop a Press Kit. Press kit materials will include information about the cam-
paign, such as a backgrounder, stock images, fact sheet and articles. The materials
will be made available on the campaign website.
Develop a Statewide Media List. The statewide media list will include the name
and type of publication, editor/reporter contact information and preferred method
of contact.
Develop an Editorial Calendar. The year-long calendar will be used to pitch com-
munity and local newspapers and magazines, and will follow the national and
local news cycle as well as long-lead deadlines. Below are examples of stories that
might be pitched:
Fall 2011:
– Campaign launch (detailed below)
– Back to School Check Up: How good oral health is part of overall health.
Highlight what schools are doing through programs like Head Start and
DHMH to ensure that all children returning to school are getting dental
screening and have access to toothbrushes and toothpaste.
– Information on why young children should avoid sugary snacks and drinks in
school as part of good dental health
– Halloween Tips That Scare Away Cavities and Promote a Healthy Holiday
Winter 2011 and 2012:
– Tips for parents: “Get it Done in Year One” for a lifetime of good oral health
– Family habits that are key to preventing cavities
– Holiday tips for dealing with holiday sweets and treats
– New Year, New Smile
– National Children’s Dental Health Month (February)
24 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Spring 2012:
– Emphasis on oral health and wellness during Family Wellness Month (May)
– Oral health tips and stories, such as the importance of uoride and brushing
baby teeth.
– End of school: What grade did you get for your child’s oral health?
Summer 2012:
– Summer babies: Highest birth rates are in the summer, making it a time to
reinforce prenatal and at-birth messages to media.
– Checklist for moms of specic steps to be done for good oral health for their
children.
– Back to school: Summer is the perfect time to ensure your child’s oral health,
beat the rush of back-to-school appointments and get it done early.
Hold a Press Event at Campaign Launch. Plan and implement a press event to
launch the campaign to statewide print, broadcast and online media outlets.
– The event can feature elected ofcials, including Congressman Cummings
and Senator Mikulski as well as dental and medical experts, Medicaid-eligible
families, representatives from the Department of Health, WIC, Head Start and
MDAC.
– Potential event locations include: The National Museum of Dentistry,
local hospitals or pediatric dentistry clinics like Johns Hopkins or Calvert
Community Dental Care (Calvert Memorial Hospital), University of Maryland
or other highly visible locations throughout the Baltimore region.
– Visuals will be critical and could include children receiving free dental
screenings.
– The press event plan will include spokespeople, roles, specic talking points,
visuals, show ow document, which outline the order of the press event and
the plan to get media to attend.
– PRR will work with DHMH Ofce of Public Affairs to develop a press release
and press kit materials to distribute to media covering the event. Press kit
will include: program fact sheets, campaign backgrounder, press release,
spokesperson bios and tips as well as a copy of the PEW Report and a one-
sheet that outlines the State’s Oral Health Plan. For regional media outlets that
cannot attend the event, PRR will work with DHMH to distribute the release
via a local newswire service.
25MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Tactic 5: Develop a social media program
The Maryland health community and its partners are plugged into social media
channels. This audience will be integral to the campaign and relaying a consistent oral
health message to mothers of infants and young children. Social media will be used to
keep them informed on oral health events and activities, and keep oral health top-of-
mind to increase clinic referrals and healthy oral behavioral advice. All social media
activities will be targeted towards trusted third-party advocates using Facebook and
Twitter to increase the reach of the campaign’s messaging.
PRR will work with DHMH and its Ofce of Public Affairs to create a campaign
Facebook page and Twitter account to engage trusted third-party advocates.
Create oral health messages specic to oral health milestones.
Develop and use Facebook ads to target trusted third-party advocates to encour-
age them to “like” the Facebook page or follow on Twitter to learn valuable oral
information to communicate at oral health milestones.
Tactic 6: Engage in community events
Many individuals are most comfortable in their own community in the presence of their
friends and neighbors. Depending on resources available and partnership commitments,
DHMH will engage in community events, particularly those that target pregnant women
or mothers of young children. DHMH will communicate the importance of oral health,
distribute oral health kits and informational materials that provide the website address
and toll-free hotline number.
Establish an ongoing presence at existing community events, sponsored by gov-
ernment, neighborhoods, community centers and churches to pass out materials
and to encourage mothers to call the toll-free number.
Hold community oral health screening events
– Work with dentists, dental hygienists and Smile Maryland Mobile Dentist to
conduct free dental screenings in high-priority neighborhoods.
– Demonstrate how to correctly brush, oss and care for teeth, gums and mouth.
– Distribute oral health kits and literacy materials that will include the campaign
website and toll-free number.
– Refer children who are found to have issues to a dentist.
26 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Tactic 7: Partner with local organizations
Partner with trusted local organizations to distribute oral health literacy materials
and assist with events to help reach the campaign’s target audiences with a consistent
message and to drive trafc to the campaign website and toll-free hotline. Local
organization partners may also be trusted third party advocates for the campaign.
Potential partner organizations include:
– Organizations against sugary juice, sodas and sports drinks.
– Health organizations, such as community health clinics, WIC, Healthy Start,
Head Start.
– Community groups, such as Boys and Girls Clubs, community centers,
churches and faith-based organizations.
– Libraries: Have story time for infants, children and their mothers with books
focused on teeth; distribute oral health materials and kits.
Tactic 8: Partner with an existing oral health van
Seek a partnership with an existing oral health van to conduct free oral screenings in
high-priority zip code neighborhoods.
Dental professionals will travel to at-risk neighborhoods and attend events to
provide a free service, which will:
– Demonstrate how to properly care for teeth and mouth, especially of infants
and children.
– Distribute oral health kits and informational materials that include campaign
website address and toll-free hotline number.
– Provide resources for pregnant women, mothers and guardians to nd a
dentist, learn about Medicaid’s dental offerings, the importance of prevention
and costs associated with oral health care.
Existing programs:
– The Deamonte Driver Dental Project uses a specially customized dental van to
visit schools to provide dental examinations, cleanings and preventative and
restorative dental services.
– Smile Maryland Mobile Dentists traveling dentistry program that brings
comprehensive dental care to numerous venues.
Tactic 9: Partner with retailers and manufacturers
Work with retailers and manufacturers to reach pregnant women and mothers of young
children where they shop with messages to assist them in caring for their and their
baby’s mouth and incentives to purchase the necessary oral health tools.
Establish partnership with retailers, such as CVS pharmacy, Safeway and Walmart
in targeted geographic areas. Retailers will be asked to include the promotion and
messaging in their advertising, provide POP displays to help attract the attention
of their customers and to work with manufacturers to offer price incentives.
27MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Existing partnerships between retail stores and oral health organizations include:
– Rite Aid and the American Dental Association promote oral health through a
national public health campaign supported by free education guides found in
Rite Aid stores and online at 111.riteaid.com.
– Kroger and Proctor and Gamble aligned with the Academy of General
Dentistry to launch a free visual dental screening program aimed at educating
children and teens about oral health.
Baby registry (Babies r Us, Buy Buy Baby): register for dental appointment and
oral health tools for the baby.
Tactic 10: Partner with a local restaurant chain
Secure a partnership with a local restaurant chain. In exchange for inclusion in the
program’s advertising and program website, the partner will be asked to provide some
or all of the following:
Create a specialty themed kid’s meal that focuses on a health snack with their
overall lunch and a special toy and messaging that promotes key messaging.
Distribute tip cards educating families on early oral health care.
Utilize in-store signage (posters, window clings, placemats) to educate customers
about early oral health care.
Promote the program’s website and key messages through their social media
channels.
Utilize their existing advertising opportunities to promote the campaign’s message.
Strategy 3: Reach mothers during critical oral health milestones
During Prenatal
Tactic 1: Partner with trusted third-party advocates
Develop relationships with trusted third-party advocates to communicate the
importance of oral health care during pregnancy and what mothers need to do to
properly care for their own oral health.
Identify trusted individuals and organizations that come into regular contact with
pregnant women.
Build and sustain relationships with the trusted advocate through regular commu-
nication (via phone, email, in person, social networking) about the importance of
oral health during pregnancy.
Create tools and provide them to trusted advocates to help them communicate
the campaign’s oral health literacy messages to pregnant women. The tools will
increase the efciency, effectiveness and reach of trusted advocates as they connect
with pregnant women.
28 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Potential advocates include: employers, OBGYNs, community health clinics,
WIC, dentists and hygienists, groups targeting pregnant moms – midwives, pre-
natal and Lamaze classes (Special Beginnings Birthing Center, Bay Area Midwifery
Center, Center for Maternal and Child Health).
Tactic 2: Conduct media outreach
Pitch local newspapers and magazines. Work with a news syndicate distribution
network like North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS) or PR Newswire to
disseminate articles or press releases with prenatal tips to community newspapers
throughout the state.
– Publications can include small neighborhood papers, community news
magazines or local newsletters (including Medicaid newsletters) and listservs
targeting moms during pregnancy.
– Non-English publications will be asked to translate the articles and make them
culturally appropriate.
– Potential media targets include: The Capitol, Frederick News-Post, The Gazette
Newspapers, Macaroni Kid West Baltimore Newsletter, Baltimore’s Child
Newsletter and Washington Parent Newsletter.
Pitch trade publications targeting OBGYNs. Work with publications that target
OBGYN ofces or birthing centers that directly inuence the campaign target
audience. Stories should emphasize campaign messages, including oral health tips
for expecting moms and resources available for OBGYNs through the campaign.
– Potential targets include: OBGYN & Reproduction Week, OBGYN Watch
Blog, OBGYN.net, Contemporary Ob/Gyn, Ob. Gyn. News.
Pitch local news portals or blogs for mothers. Pitch campaign messages and
pre-written content targeted to expecting moms who are seeking information on
health tips during pregnancy.
– Potential targets include: News portal and blogs such as BabyCenter.com,
HealthLine.com, PrenancyHealthyInfo.com, MomsLikeMe; magazines that are
commonly found in OBGYN ofces, such as Parent, SELF, Redbook, Better
Homes & Gardens, Prevention.
Pitch local TV news stations. As part of a paid media partnership with one of
the local TV networks, request a health segment around proper dental care
during pregnancy. This segment will feature local moms, OBGYNs and dental
professionals.
Pitch text4baby. Develop and disseminate messages about how mothers should
care for their teeth and mouth during pregnancy. Provide the link to campaign
website and toll-free hotline number.
29MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Tactic 3: Use social media
Develop and use Facebook ads to target trusted third-party advocates to encourage
them to “like” the Facebook page or follow on Twitter to learn valuable oral
information to communicate at general health milestones.
Twitter and Facebook
– Engage OBGYNs, dentists and other service providers with cultural
competency messages, including how to effectively care for underserved
populations.
– Encourage them to talk with pregnant women about the importance of oral
health and provide the link to the website and the toll-free hotline number.
When Baby is Born
Tactic 1: Partner with trusted third-party advocates
Develop relationships with trusted individuals, organizations and businesses that are in direct
contact with the mother once she gives birth.
Identify trusted individuals and organizations that come into regular contact with
mothers of newborns.
Build and sustain relationships with the trusted advocate through regular
communication (via phone, email, in person, social networking) about the
importance of mom and baby’s oral health.
Create tools and provide them to trusted advocates to help them communicate the
campaign’s oral health literacy messages to mothers of newborns. The tools will
increase the efciency, effectiveness and reach of trusted advocates as they connect
with mothers of newborns. The advocates would be asked to include oral health
in their existing materials, to distribute campaign materials and the oral health kit.
Potential advocates include: birthing centers, employers, community health
centers, WIC, lactation consultants, hospital delivery nurses, Program for Early
Parent Support (PEPS) groups and faith- based organizations.
Tactic 2: Partner with retailers, manufacturers and community organizations
Focus on companies and organizations that sell or provide products, such as diapers,
formula, baby food, toys, bottles and baby clothes to new mothers.
Retailers will be asked to display and distribute oral health materials throughout
stores. Examples of targeted retailers include:
– Goodwill, Value Village or consignment stores
– CVS Pharmacy
– Walmart
– Safeway
30 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Work with community and faith-based organizations to provide oral health
information and tips bundled with other products, including diapers, formula and
baby clothes. Include information about the importance of mom and baby’s oral
health by disseminating brochures, tip cards and yers. Materials will include the
link to campaign website and toll-free hotline number.
– Potential organizations:
o Food banks
o WIC
o Churches
o YMCA
o Social Service Agencies
Tactic 3: Conduct media outreach
Pitch local newspapers, magazines and Maryland mom forums to reach mothers of
newborns.
Pitch local newspapers, parenting magazines and mom forums that target news
content and tips to new mothers.
– Potential outlets include: Baltimore’s Child, Baltimore Magazine, Maryland
Mommy, FrederickMommies, Baltimore Sun.
Pitch trade publications to reach the dental and medical community and ethnic
publications.
– Target news content to pediatricians and family practitioners about proper
dental care for new moms and their babies
– Provide tips for hygienists, dentists and family practitioners for opening up the
dialogue on oral health as part of their patient care.
– Potential outlets include: Contemporary Pediatrics, Dentistry Today, Journal
of Pediatric Dentistry, American Family Physician and Healthy Childcare
Washington Hispanic, Washington’s La Voz, La Nacion USA.
Pitch local TV news stations. Identify potential segments for local TV news broad-
casting as part of paid-media partnership. Use visuals to illustrate the various tips
and behavior changes that new moms need to practice to take good care of their
baby’s oral health.
– Potential outlets include: WMAR-TV (ABC-Baltimore), WBAL-TV (NBC-TV),
WJZ-TV (CBS), WBFF-TV (FOX), WMPB-TV (PBS-Baltimore), WHAG-TV
(NBC-Hagerstown), WBOC-TV (CBS-Salisbury), WMDT-TV (ABC-Salisbury).
Pitch text4baby. Develop and disseminate messages about how mothers of
newborns should care for their baby’s teeth and mouth, especially after feeding.
Provide the link to campaign website and toll-free hotline number.
31MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Tactic 4: Use social media
Create and share a video that is an oral health 101 for mothers of newborns. The
video can be pushed through trusted third-party advocates to reach the general
Maryland health community with the campaign’s messaging.
Twitter and Facebook
– Engage OBGYNs, dentists and other service providers and encourage them to
talk with mothers of newborns about how to care for their baby’s mouth.
First Tooth (no later than baby’s first birthday)
Tactic 1: Partner with trusted third-party advocates
Develop relationships with trusted individuals, organizations and businesses that are in
direct contact with the mothers of teething babies (four months to one year old).
Identify trusted individuals and organizations that come into regular contact with
mothers of teething babies.
Build and sustain relationships with the trusted advocate through regular
communication (via phone, email, in person, social networking) about the
importance of mom and baby’s oral health.
Create tools and provide them to trusted advocates to help them communicate
the campaign’s oral health literacy messages to mothers of teething babies. The
tools will increase the efciency, effectiveness and reach of trusted advocates as
they connect with mothers. The advocates would be asked to include oral health
in their existing materials and to distribute campaign materials and the oral health
kit.
Potential advocates include: employers, community health centers, WIC,
pediatricians, Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS) groups and faith-based
organizations.
Tactic 2: Develop and distribute “First Tooth Fairy Kit”
Turn a family tradition around by celebrating the appearance of the rst tooth rather
than celebrating the disappearance of the rst tooth. A private-sector organization will
be solicited to co-brand and package a fun “First Tooth Fairy Kit” as a gift in exchange
for when the baby’s rst tooth appears. The kit would contain many of the same
contents as the oral health kit mentioned above. Promotion for the kit could be done by
the sponsor, by a community health center, through media outreach and social media.
32 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Tactic 3: Develop and distribute First Birthday Cards
DHMH can partner with Medicaid providers, WIC and Head Start programs to
distribute the card to mothers of babies celebrating their rst birthday. The card can
include information to make mothers and guardians aware of the importance of
beginning oral health no later than their baby’s rst birthday.The cards can come with
a free oral health kit, including oral health tools, tips and the campaign website link and
toll-free hotline number.
Tactic 4: Work with service providers to deliver consistent oral health messages
Service providers, including family practitioners, pediatricians, dentists and hygienists,
play an important role in the delivery of oral health information to their patients.
Communicate with pediatricians, primary care physicians and community clinics
to incorporate oral health educational materials as part of rst year check-up
appointments. Send mom home with an oral health kit.
– Outreach will take place through professional organizations, colleges,
conferences and trade publications.
– A sponsor will be solicited to host breakfast briengs for pediatricians and
dentists.
– Major companies with extensive sales force networks will be asked to provide
educational materials when making face-to-face visits with their customers and
prospects.
Tactic 5: Conduct media outreach
Messaging will take advantage of the challenges presented by teething babies and
include how moms should care for baby’s new teeth.
Pitch local newspapers and magazines that reach new mothers. These publications
can overlap with those targeted for prenatal and after birth messages.
– Potential outlets include: Baltimore’s Child, Baltimore Magazine, Maryland
Mommy, FrederickMommies, Baltimore Sun.
Pitch trade publications. Reach dental and health professionals to extend messag-
es about oral health pertaining to teething and how to care for baby’s rst teeth,
including the importance of rst visit to the dentist, tips for brushing incoming
baby teeth and how to prevent baby bottle tooth decay.
– Potential outlets include: Contemporary Pediatrics, Dentistry Today, Journal of
Pediatric Dentistry, American Family Physician and Healthy Childcare.
33MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Pitch local TV news stations. Identify potential segments for local TV news
broadcasting as part of paid-media partnership. Use visuals to illustrate the
various tips and behavior changes that new moms need to practice to take good
care of their baby’s oral health.
– Potential outlets include: WMAR-TV (ABC-Baltimore), WBAL-TV (NBC-TV),
WJZ-TV (CBS), WBFF-TV (FOX), WMPB-TV (PBS-Baltimore), WHAG-TV
(NBC-Hagerstown), WBOC-TV (CBS-Salisbury), WMDT-TV (ABC-Salisbury).
Pitch text4baby. Develop and disseminate messages about teething and how to
care for new teeth, especially after feeding or eating. Provide the link to campaign
website and toll-free hotline number.
Tactic 6: Use social media
Create and share a video that is an oral health 101 for mothers of baby’s that are
teething and have received their rst tooth. This video can be pushed through
trusted third-party advocates to reach the general Maryland health community
with the campaign’s messaging.
Twitter and Facebook
– Engage OBGYNs, dentists and other service providers and encourage them
to talk with mothers of babies about teething how to care for their baby’s
primary teeth.
Entering School
Tactic 1: Outreach through schools
When children and their siblings enter school, this presents an opportunity to introduce
the subject of oral health to mothers. Schools will be targeted to ask that they utilize
this educable moment to reach out to mothers and guardians with oral health messages
and materials. They will be asked to include the campaign messaging in their discussions
with mothers and guardians of young children and to distribute materials and oral
health kits.
Outreach to school nurses and physical education and health teachers at
elementary schools in the targeted zip codes, providing them with oral health
literacy materials and kits.
Reach parents through backpack mailers given to young children, especially
those on the subsidized school lunch program, containing information about oral
health, the campaign website and toll-free hotline.
Outreach at school events to distribute campaign materials.
34 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Tactic 2: Outreach through health service providers
Before entering school, Maryland requires children to have an annual physical and
receive several immunizations. This is an ideal time for health providers conducting the
physical to discuss oral health and to distribute oral health literacy materials.
Reach service providers with oral health literacy information via email, mail,
events and in-person.
Potential health service providers include community health clinics, nurses and
pediatricians.
Tactic 3: Partner with after school programs
Work with after school programs to reach parents through materials given to young
children containing information about oral health, the campaign website and toll-free
hotline.
Potential programs include Boys and Girls Clubs, Kids After Hours, YMCA and
county recreational centers and leagues.
Reach Mothers During Other Educable Moments
Tactic 1: Outreach through trusted third-party advocates
Develop relationships with trusted individuals, organizations and businesses that are in
direct contact with low-income pregnant women and mothers of young children.
Identify trusted individuals and organizations that come into regular contact with
pregnant women and mothers of young children.
Build and sustain relationships with the trusted advocate through regular commu-
nication (via phone, email, in person, social networking) about the importance of
mom and baby’s oral health.
Create tools and provide them to trusted advocates to help them communicate
the campaign’s oral health literacy messages to mothers of teething babies. The
tools will increase the efciency, effectiveness and reach of trusted advocates as
they connect with mothers. The advocates would be asked to include oral health
in their existing materials and to distribute campaign materials and the oral health
kit.
Potential advocates include: employers, community health centers, WIC, pedia-
tricians, nurses, Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS) groups, faith-based
organizations, community groups.
35MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Tactic 2: Utilize other health milestones through service providers
Opportunities to discuss oral health exist when mothers interface with a health service
provider.
Outreach will take place through professional organizations, colleges, conferences
and trade publications.
A sponsor will be solicited to host breakfast briengs for pediatricians.
Major companies with extensive sales force networks will be asked to provide
educational materials when making face-to-face visits with their customers and
prospects.
Tactic 3: Utilize opportunities that arise through the secondary target audience
When older children are receiving care, this presents an opportunity to introduce the
subject of oral health for the younger sibling. Dentists and pediatricians will be targeted
to utilize this educable moment to reach out to the mother with oral health messages
and materials. They will be asked to include the campaign messaging in their discussions
with mothers of young children and distribute materials and oral health kits.
Tactic 4: Target food-based holidays
Utilize major holidays, such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter to
reinforce the importance of oral health care both in the choices of what is consumed and
the care taken after eating.
Tactic 5: Conduct media outreach
Pitch local TV, radio and print publications. (See previous sections for potential
outlets and additional story ideas.)
– Stories can include:
o Healthy dental tips for the holidays
o Sugary holiday treats to avoid
o Stocking stuffer ideas, such as toothpaste and toothbrushes
o Charity organizations focusing on oral health during the holiday season
o Child on Medicaid benetting from dental care
Pitch text4baby. Develop and distribute messages that include a simple call to ac-
tion on how to care for new teeth during holidays when sugary foods and drinks
are consumed. Provide number for toll-free hotline and link to campaign website.
36 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Tactic 6: Use social media
Place content on Facebook and Twitter accounts that equip physicians and
partners with valuable information that can be delivered at meaningful moments
to patients and clients.
Potential messages:
– Facebook: “Young babies and small children seem to be more willing and
enjoy brushing more at bath time.”
– Twitter: “R yr #Parent patients having a bad time getting thr #kid brushing?
Have them brush in front of their kid to get the child xcited to brush.”
Strategy 4: Develop oral health kit
The oral health kit will include oral hygiene education information and tools for the
mother’s personal oral care and that of their infant or young child. It is intended to be
free and available to every one of the 290,000 targeted children. The kit will be branded
to reect the campaign look, feel and messaging.
Tactic 1: Develop and test oral health kit concept
To ensure the most user-friendly and effective oral health kit, the kit will be tested with
the target audiences prior to nalizing and distributing.
Tactic 2: Secure corporate sponsorships
The oral health kits will only be possible with donated oral health materials from
corporate sponsors. PRR will compile sponsorship packages targeted at organizations
that benet from working in partnership and spreading the message of early childhood
oral health. Sponsorships would focus on the following:
Placement and messaging on packaging
Product sampling
Cross-promotion in advertising
Shared spokespeople or persons
Visibility in collateral and other materials
– Potential sponsors include: Colgate, Crest, GUM, Oral B and Reach. Pampers
Diapers could have special messaging in age appropriate diapers and drive
parents in for their rst visit to the dentist.
Tactic 3: Develop educational materials
Print materials will be highly visual, include plain language and the campaign website
link and toll-free hotline number.
37MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Strategy 5: Evaluate campaign effectiveness
Tactic 1: Pre- and post-campaign surveys
Pre- and post-campaign surveys will provide statistically-valid baseline data on
awareness and self-reported behaviors. Post-campaign surveys will allow us to measure
any changes generated through campaign activities against these two metrics (awareness
and self-reported behavior).
Tactic 2: Test messaging through focus groups
At least two focus groups will be conducted to ensure that campaign messages are
appropriate, understood and resonate with the targeted demographic.
Tactic 3: Services provided
A major objective is to increase patient visits before age one. Medicaid
reimbursements will be used to compare visitation levels against previous periods.
The number of individuals reached through free screenings will be tracked.
Tactic 4: Individuals reached
Many of the strategies and tactics described above allow for detailed statistical
analysis.
– Paid advertising in television, radio, print, online and outdoor will allow us to
track total numbers of individuals reached.
– Individuals reached through media relations are tracked utilizing the same
approaches as paid advertising.
– Third-party organizations will be asked to provide reach numbers, such as the
number of people who received a newsletter or email distribution, number of
individuals reached through their advertising, number of participants at an
event.
Tactic 5: Materials distributed
The following items will be tracked:
The number of oral health kits distributed.
The number of products sold through partner promotions.
The number of individuals who visit specic pages of the website.
Tactic 6: Funds leveraged
The following will be tracked:
The added value achieved through paid advertising.
The value of articles acquired through media relations.
Any sponsorship funds donated.
The value of any free products provided.
The value of any incremental promotions provided by partners.
38 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Tactic 7: Monitoring and course correction
Many of the above approaches allow virtually real-time monitoring. Other tools will also
be used to ensure that the program is being implemented effectively while providing the
opportunity to change direction quickly, if required. This can include using secret shoppers
to test all systems including the website, hotline, promotions and commitments from
others.
Strategy 6: Provide a foundation for future work; continuation of tactics
past the initial 18-months of the campaign
Tactic 1: Establish a brand foundation
One critical opportunity to ensure the impact of the program will continue beyond the
term limits of the funds available is to create a messaging platform that is used by the
entire community, constantly. These critical brand elements will include the following:
Name and tagline
Website
Toll-free hotline
Brand and messaging platform
Style guide
Tactic 2: Community organization outreach
Those organizations that have ongoing personal relationships and are trusted by the
individuals we are targeting are in the best position to have a long-term impact on
introducing oral health care to mothers. A partner organization will be secured to take the
lead in providing ongoing cultivation and servicing of organizations previously recruited
as well as recruitment of additional organizations.
Tactic 3: Work with universities
To help all medical service providers understand the issue, the need, the required solutions
and their place in this continuum, universities training the next generation of dentists and
pediatricians will be targeted and approached to incorporate oral health literacy into their
curriculum.
39MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
Project Research
The University of Maryland School of Public Health (UMSPH) received a grant from
the CDC to conduct research on behalf of DHMH to determine the understanding and
practices regarding prevention and early detection of dental caries of Maryland adults
who have children in the household six years of age and younger.
As part of the research methodology, UMSPH conducted a telephone survey that
reached 803 Maryland adults 18 and older with a child six years or younger. Four
focus groups were also conducted with these adults 18 and older with a child six or
younger or if the mother or guardian was pregnant. UMSPH also distributed paper
questionnaires togeneral dentists, pediatric dentists and dental hygienists as well as
family practice physicians, pediatricians and nurse practitioners.
Maryland adults have limited knowledge about how to prevent tooth decay. Adults
with lower levels of education and whose child has no dental insurance, or is enrolled in
Medicaid, have the lowest levels of understanding. Initial research ndings demonstrate:
98% said they had heard of uoride
Only 58% knew the purpose of uoride
65 % had heard of dental sealants
Of those, only 46% knew their purpose
Only 23% could identify an early sign of tooth decay
77% could not identify an early sign of tooth decay
Adults with high school or less education, under age 35, single, female, African
American and whose child was on Medicaid were signicantly more likely to put
their child to bed with a bottle.
40 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Adults with the lowest level of education and whose child is on Medicaid were
signicantly less likely to have had a dental appointment in the past 12 months.
Adults with lower levels of education, African Americans and whose child is on
Medicaid were signicantly less likely to drink tap water.
61% of adults reported their primary source of dental information was their
dentist.
88% replied that having accurate information about preventing tooth decay was
“very important.”
46% responded “yes” that someone spoke with them about preventing tooth
decay for one of their children at their last dental appointment.
40% were “very concerned” about their child getting tooth decay in the future.
21% were “not at all concerned.”
Adults with private dental insurance were signicantly more likely than those
with Medicaid to report favorably about their providers listening practices.
Respondents with lower levels of education were signicantly more likely to
respond less favorably about the communication practices of dentists and staff.
African Americans were signicantly more likely to express lower satisfaction
with the amount of time their dentist spent with them.
African Americans were more than twice as likely to report they were treated
unfairly due to their race, ethnicity or level of education.
Initial research ndings from the focus groups (analysis not completed) indicate that
respondents:
Do not know what to ask their providers
Primarily rely on family members for information
Moms are not drinking the public water – concerns about lead, etc.
Do not know if toothpaste had uoride (bought cheapest)
Don’t believe primary (baby) teeth are important.
In addition, UMSPH is currently working with Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and
Head Start directors to gather input through additional focus groups.
41MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
APPENDIX B
Zip code map illustrating the top 100 zip codes where the target audience resides
42 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
APPENDIX C
Working Group (April 7, 2011)
Meeting Participants:
John Welby, MS, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Mike Rosen, PRR (meeting facilitator)
Keri Shoemaker, PRR
Dr. Harry Goodman, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Chris Leo, RDH, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Keith Roberts, MS, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Stacy Costello, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Daphene Alterma Johnson, MPH, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Beth Lowe, National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Burnette Rahmaan, Baltimore City Head Start
LaSandra Jackson, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Leigh Stevenson Cobb, Advocates for Children and Youth
Alice Horowitz, University of MD, School of Public Health
Lisa Bress, University of Maryland Dental School
Advisory Group (April 28, 2011)
Meeting Participants:
John Welby, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Mike Rosen, PRR
Keri Shoemaker, PRR
Leslie Stevens, RDH, BS, Maryland Oral Health Association, Dental Program
Administrator, Allegany County Health Department
Dr. Harry Goodman, Director, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Keith Roberts, M.S., Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
Katrina Holt, National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Rachel Plotnick, MD FAAP
Tequila Terry, Executive Director, Maryland Healthy Smiles Dental Program,
DentaQuest
Barbara Klein, Associate Vice President, University of Maryland, Baltimore
Leigh Stevenson Cobb, JD/MPH, Health Policy Director, Advocates for Children &
Youth
Winifred J. Booker, DDS, CEO and Director of Development, The Maryland Children’s
Oral Health Institute
Peter J. Holmes, IOM, MS, Director of Governance & Public Policy MDTA
Penny Anderson, Executive Director, Maryland Dental Action Coalition
43MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Dr. Mark D. Macek, Associate Professor, Program in Health Services Research
Department of Health Promotion and Policy Director, Ofce of Instructional Evaluation,
University of Maryland Dental School
Salliann Alborn, CEO, Maryland Community Health System/Community Health
Integrated Partnership
Colin Reusch, MPA, Project Associate Children’s Dental Health Project
Miguel McInnis, MPH, CEO, Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers
Jonathan Landers, Executive Director, National Museum of Dentistry
Karen Black, DHMH, Ofce of Communications
Laurie Norris, Senior Policy Advisor & Coordinator, CMS Oral Health Initiative,
Division of Quality, Evaluation, and Health Outcomes
Alice Middleton, Esq. Acting Deputy Director of Planning, Ofce of Planning, Medical
Care Programs
Heidi Ross, Health Policy Advisor, Congressman Cummings Ofce
Dr. Warren Brill, DMD,MS(HYG), FAAPD
Statewide Oral Health Strategic Partnership Council (June 23, 2011)
Meeting Participants:
1. John Welby, MS, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
2. Dr. Harry Goodman, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
3. Keith Roberts, MS, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
4. Mike Rosen, PRR
5. Keri Shoemaker, PRR
6. Courtney Long, PRR
7. Chris Leo, Ofce of Oral Health, DHMH
8. Frank McLaughlin, Maryland State Dental Association
9. Rachel Plotnick, American Academy of Pediatrics Maryland Chapter
10. Penny Anderson, Maryland Dental Action Coalition
11. Jess Donohue, Maryland Dental Action Coalition
12. Cindy Kaiser, Maryland Oral Health Association
13. Peggy Funk, Maryland Pharmacists Association
14. Deborah Cartee, Maryland Dental Hygienists Association
15. Dr. Hazel Harper, Robert T. Freeman Dental Society Foundation
16. Giselle Thelemaque, DHMH
17. Stacy Costello, DHMH
18. Jane Casper, DHMH
19. Shaconna Gorhma, Baltimore City Health Department
20. Dr. Patricia L. Bell-McDufe, Baltimore City Health Department
21. Leslie D. Stevens, Alleghany County Health Department
22. Patti Schwartz, Howard County Health Department
44 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
23. Jeffrie Normoyle, Frederick County Health Department
24. Monica Grant, Frederick County Health Department
25. Bonnie Edwards, Kent County Health Department
26. Leslie R. Grant, Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners
27. Salliann Alborn, Community Health Integrated Partnership
28. Gabrielle Givens, Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers
29. Brooks Woodward, Chase Brexton Health Services, Inc.
30. Dennis Cherot, Total Health Care, Inc.
31. Dr. Bianca Braxton Smith, Total Health Care, Inc.
32. Diane James-Medina, Total Health Care, Inc.
33. Dr. Lisa King-Baker, Family Health Centers of Baltimore
34. Joanne Robinson, Family Health Centers of Balitmore
35. Megan Holthoff, Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center
36. Jennifer Thomas, Western Maryland AHEC
37. Katharine Lyter, MCDHHS Public Health Dental Programs
38. Beth McKinney, MCDHHS Public Health Dental Programs
39. Paola Fernan Segra, MCDHHS Public Health Dental Programs
40. Lynn Harris, Lifebridge Health
41. DeDe Severn, Pediatric Emergency Department, St. Agnes Hospital
42. Wendy Camlin, Union Hospital of Cecil County
43. Martha Gurzick, Department of Nursing Professional and Clinical
Development, Frederick Memorial Hospital
44. Lisa Brown, Union Primary Care of Elkton
45. Yvette McEachern, Center for Maternal and Child Health
46. Marcia Clemmons, Prince George’s Hospital Center
47. Dr. Nathan Fletcher, Fletcher & Fletcher Family Dentistry
48. Krista Hill, Worcester County Dental Center
49. Colin Reusch, Children’s Dental Health Project
50. Linda Zang, HeadStart Department of Education
51. Kimberly Whitaker, Baltimore City Head Start
52. Burnette Rahmaan, Baltimore City Head Start
53. Marsha Dawson, St. Jerome’s Head Start
54. Mary Beth Preston, Human Resources Development Commission Head Start
55. Faith Miller, Maryland Family Network
56. Cheryl DeAtley, Judy Centers
57. Patsy Marks-Poole, Judy Center at Hilltop Elementary
58. Janice Lane, Family Center and Newborn Nursery
59. Diana Chaffee, Cradle Rock Children’s Center
60. Lindi Mitchell Budd, MSDE Ofce of Child Care
45MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
61. Colleen Phebus, WIC (DHMH)
62. Gene Nadonly, WIC (DHMH)
63. Connie Richardson, Walnut Street Community Health Center
64. Dr. Robert Johnson, Walnut Street Community Health Center
65. Jeanie Holtz, Choptank Community Health System
66. Sara Rich, Choptank Community Health Systems
67. Scott Wolpin, Choptank Community Health System
68. Allen Bennett, Park West Health System, Inc
69. Katherine Murray, Frederick Memorial Healthcare System
70. Erica Serrano, Community Clinic, Inc.
71. Gloria Rivera, Community Clinic, Inc.
72. Celeste M. Camerino, Charles County Department of Health
73. Verna Richardson, Department of Health and Human Services
74. Jill E. Dorsey Greene, Anne Arundel County Department of Health
75. Lisa Bress, University of Maryland Dental School
76. Clemencia Vargas, University of Maryland Dental School
77. Go Matsuo, University of Maryland Dental School
78. Susan Coller, University of Maryland Dental School
79. Brad Langley, University of Maryland Dental School
80. Jenifer O. Fahey, University of Maryland School of Medicine
81. Catherine Maybury, Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy
82. Alice Horowitz, University of Maryland School of Public Health
83. Laura W. Koo, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Nursing
84. Dan Hammer, University of the Pacic Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry
85. Alice Middleton, DHMH Medicaid
86. Shannon Jones, Maryland Physicians Care
87. Kathy Pettway, Johns Hopkins HealthCare
88. Tequila Terry, Maryland Health Smiles Dental Program
89. Leigh Stevenson Cobb, Maryland Advocates for Children and Youth
90. Al Passarella, Maryland Advocates for Children and Youth
91. Winifred J. Booker, Maryland Children’s Oral Health Institute
92. Crystal Holland, Maryland Dental Case Management Pilot Project
93. Karen Purnell, Mid-Shore Dental Case Manager Project
94. Pamela Bush-Jones, Y of Central Maryland
95. Rachel Dodge, The Match Program
96. Sharron Lewis, TLC Dental
97. Dr. Celeste Ziara, TLC Dental
98. Mary Otto, Former Washington Post Reporter
99. Pat Van Story
100. LaShonda Johnson, Public Health Dentistry
46 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
101. Alberta Stokes
103. Jerry Casper, Pediatric Dentist
104. Stephanie Scharpf, Jai Medical Systems Managed Care Organization
105. Dianne Houston Crockett, Amerigroup Community Care
106. Lisa Wright, UnitedHealthcare
107. Eric Bryant, Rifkin Law Firm on Behalf of DentaQuest
108. Debbie Fleming, Colgate
109. Kyle Adam Gardner, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholar
110. Theresa Herring, Charles County Health Department
111. James Davis, Riverside Consulting
112. Peter Holmes, Maryland State Dental Association
113. Brenda McQuay, UnitedHealthcare
114. Sheryl Tidd, Lourie Center Early Head Start
115. Julie DiMaggio, Catholic Charities Head Start
116. Janie Charleston, National Dental Association
117. Mary Adkins, Talbot County Public Schools
118. Al Passarella, Advocates for Children and Youth
119. Rita Ford-Farmer, St. Bernardine’s Head Start
47MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Meeting Participants’ Overview of Commitments to the Campaign
Commitment Individuals & Organizations
Develop a list of
dentists
Marsha Dawson (Head Start), Colleen Phebus (WIC Program),
Brenda McQuay (United HealthCare), Mary Adkins (Talbot
County Public Schools)
Distribute
information that
is provided to
them
Burnette Rahmaan (Baltimore City Head Start), Laura Koo
(Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland), Diana Chaffee
(Cradlerock Childrens Center), Karen Purnell (Maryland
Dental Case Management Project), Lisa King-Baker (Family
Health Centers of Baltimore), Janice Lane (Frederick Memorial
Hospital), Alice Middleton (Medicaid, Ofce of Planning),
Jeffrie Normoyle (Frederick County Dental Program), Patsy
Marks-Poole (Judy Center), Martha Gurzick (Frederick
Memorial Hospital), Katharine Lyter (Montgomery County
Health and Human Services), Sara Rich (Choptank Community
Health), Chris Leo (Eastern Shore Oral Health Education
Center), Peter Holmes (Maryland State Dental Association),
Sheryl Tidd (Lourie Center Early Head Start), Julie DiMaggio
(Catholic Charities HeadStart), Al Passarella (Advocates for
Children and Youth), Erica Serrano (Community Clinic, Inc),
Salliann Alborn (Community Health Integrated Partnership),
Leslie Stevens (Allegany County Health Department), Lynn
Harris (Lifebridge Health), Stephanie Scharpf (Jai Medical
Systems Managed Care Org)
Time to educate
others, both
within their
organization and
outside of it
Kyle Adam Gardner (National Dental Assocation Scholar),
Bonnie Edwards (Kent County Health Dept), Jenifer Fahey
(University of Maryland SOM), Celeste Camerino (Charles
County Department of Health), Theresa Herring (Charles
County Health Dept), Catherine Maybury (School of Public
Health – UMD), Patricia Bell-McDufe (Baltimore City Health
Dept), Jane Casper (DHMH), Alice Horowitz (UMD SPH),
LaShonda Johnson (PGCHD Dental), Rachel Dodge (MATCH
Program), Bianca Braxton Smith (Total Health Care, Inc),
Diane James-Medina (Total Health Care, Inc), Penny Anderson
(MD Dental Action Coalition), Jess Donohue (MD Dental
Action Coalition), Scott Wolpin (Choptank Community Health
System), Pat Van Story (Washington County Health Dept), Lisa
Brown (Union Primary Care, Cecil County), Mary Beth Preston
(Allegany County Head Start), Cindy Kaiser (Baltimore County
Health Department)
48 Maryland Oral Health Literacy Campaign
Provide Dental
Care/Dentists/
Experts
Connie Richardson (Walnut Street Community Health -
**Dental van coming in Oct 2011), Nathan Fletcher (Fletcher
& Fletcher Family Dental), Joanne Robinson (Family Health
Centers of Baltimore), Deborah Cartee (Maryland Dental
Hygienist Association), Monica Grant (Frederick County Health
Department), Patsy Marks-Poole (Judy Center), Bianca Braxton
Smith (Total Health Care, Inc), Leslie Grant (MSBDE), Pat
Van Story (Washington County Health Dept), Erica Serrano
(Community Clinic, Inc), Gloria Rivera (CCI Org)
Add or post
information
on their own
website, social
media sites,
newsletters, etc
Gabrielle Givens (Mid-Atlantic Association of Community
Health Centers), Debbie Fleming (Colgate – Bright Smiles
Bright Futures), Monica Grant (Frederick County Health
Department), Lisa Wright (UnitedHealthcare Community
Plan), Penny Anderson and Jess Donohue (MD Dental Action
Coalition), Sara Rich (Choptank Community Health), Brenda
McQuay (United HealthCare), Mary Adkins (Talbot County
Public Schools), Lindi Budd (Md. State Dept of Education),
Dianne Houston Crockett (Amerigroup Community Care), Jen
Thomas (Western Maryland AHEC), Colin Reusch (Children’s
Dental Health Project), Stephanie Scharpf (Jai Medical Systems
Managed Care Org), Shannon Jones (Maryland Physicians
Care)
Update
requirements
and curriculum
for students to
incorporate the
goals of this
campaign
Lisa Bress (UMD Dental Hygiene Program), Laura Koo
(Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland), Diana Chaffee
(Cradlerock Children’s Center), Wendy Camlin (Union Hospital
of Cecil County), Patsy Marks-Poole (Judy Center), Megan
Holthoff (Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center), Dianne
Houston Crockett (Amerigroup Community Care)
Distribute Dental
Kits
Joanne Robinson (Family Health Centers of Baltimore), Wendy
Camlin (Union Hospital of Cecil County), Chris Leo (Eastern
Shore Oral Health Education Center), Jeanie Holtz (Eastern
Shore Area Health Education Center), Cheryl DeAtley (MD
State Dept of Education)
Design messaging
and materials
Giselle Thelemaque (OOH), Colin Reusch (Children’s Dental
Health Project), Celeste Camerino (Charles County Dept of
Health)
49MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN | Prepared by PRR
Serve on
committee
formed for
planning
purposes
Susan Coller (UMD Dental School)
Provide
marketing
advice on how to
reach minority
audiences
Paola Fernan-Zegarra (Montgomery County – DHHS),
Clemencia Vargas (UMB Dental School)
Offer facilities for
care and meetings
Brooks Woodward (Chase Brexton Health Services, Inc), Penny
Anderson (MD Dental Action Coalition), Rita Ford-Farmer (St.
Bernardine’s Head Start)
Dress up as the
tooth fairy to give
presentations to
WIC, Daycares,
Schools, Health
Fairs, etc
Jeanie Holtz (Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center)
Give
demonstrations
– brushing,
ossing, sugar in
drinks display,
etc/training
Jeanie Holtz (Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center), Jen
Thomas (Western Maryland AHEC)
Provide funding
for supplies for
start-up dental
clinic
Jen Thomas (Western Maryland AHEC)
Focus group
facilitator
Jen Thomas (Western Maryland AHEC)
Political and
grassroots
organizing
Eric Bryant (Rifkin Law rm on behalf of DentaQuest)
www.prrbiz.com
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