The Connecticut Oral Health Initiative, Inc.

04/17/2026

💻 FREE WEBINAR: Join COHI and special guests Dr. John Waterman and Sharon McCreven, RDH for Improving the Patient-Provider Experience: Best Practices for Compassionate, Patient-Centered Care.

On Monday, April 20th at 7pm, we'll explore how to create safe, inclusive, and supportive dental visits for all patients through trust building, reducing fear, promoting cultural competency, and much more. Sign up today - registration is free!

REGISTER: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/71lt9dYqR4a8HBfrtWfwLg

04/15/2026

Nominate an oral health champion! 🌟 As we prepare to celebrate COHI's 25th Anniversary, we want to honor individuals and organizations who have made an outstanding difference in advancing oral health equity in Connecticut.

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized? We are now accepting nominations for COHI's Howard I. Mark Award. This award is presented annually to a leader in oral health access in Connecticut who shares the passion of Dr. Mark -- our co-founder, Board Member Emeritus, and retired oral surgeon -- about access to quality oral health services. Dr. Mark believes everyone should have the opportunity to attain good oral health, no matter their income or wealth.

Nominees could include an:
- Oral health clinician or practitioner
- Advocate or community leader
- Educator or researcher
- Organization or community partner
🦷✨Anyone who is working on a system level to advocate for change.

Nominations are due by Friday, May 15, 2026. Award recipients will be recognized at the event before an audience of oral health professionals, advocates, policymakers, and community leaders.

NOMINATION FORM: https://tinyurl.com/COHIDrMarkAward26



Event page: Celebrating 25 Years of Impact: COHI's 25th Anniversary Gathering

04/12/2026

Need a ride to free dental care at the Mission of Mercy next week? See below.

CTMOM

We want YOU to make it to CTMOM!

Eastern Connecticut cited transportation issues as a common barrier to dental care access. To help minimize this, we have partnered with EASTCONN to provide patients in Tolland and Windham counties with free transportation to the clinic this April. Wheelchair accessible vehicles available. Please call 860-377-7550 to arrange pick-up location.

EASTCONN The Connecticut Oral Health Initiative, Inc. Connecticut Dental Health Partnership EHHD Health District North Central District Health Department

04/12/2026

COHI’s Executive Director, Gary Turco, is in Oklahoma City this week attending the National Oral Health Conference—connecting with fellow advocates from across the country, learning best practices, and bringing back new ideas to expand oral health opportunities here in Connecticut.

Gary will also be speaking on a panel to highlight the important work happening in Connecticut to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for all.

A big thank you to Community Catalyst for helping make this opportunity possible!

Learn more about the conference: https://www.nationaloralhealthconference.com

04/06/2026

EXCITING NEWS: Tickets and Sponsorships are now available for COHI's 25th Anniversary Gathering! 🦷✨

We're celebrating 25 years of oral health advocacy in Connecticut, and we want you there. Join us on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, from 5:30–8:00 pm at the Pond House Café in West Hartford for an evening of connection, celebration, and conversation. Space is limited and we've got a lot of exciting things in store - you won't want to miss this! 🎟️ Secure your spot today: https://tinyurl.com/COHI25Gathering

04/03/2026

Thank you to Representatives Jaime Foster and Chris Poulos, as well as Senators Paul Honig and Jeff Gordon for their recent op-ed about dental care access for Connecticut Veterans.

"Dental care is not cosmetic; oral health is closely tied to overall health. Untreated dental disease can lead to infection, chronic pain, difficulty eating, lost work productivity, and costly emergency department visits. Research has also linked poor oral health with serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes complications, and stroke.

For veterans living on fixed incomes or transitioning back to civilian life, untreated dental issues can affect employability, nutrition, and quality of life. Too often, veterans must choose between dental care and other essential needs.

Connecticut has the opportunity to address this gap."

Read more: https://www.courant.com/2026/03/25/lawmakers-connecticut-must-assure-all-veterans-have-all-basic-health-care/

And check out how COHI is helping to connect Veterans to care with our Salute to Smiles program at ctoralhealth.org/salute and in our legislative advocacy this year at ctoralhealth.org/legislative-priorities.

It is about honoring service and ensuring that those who protected our nation are not left without basic health care once they return home.

04/01/2026

Right now, COHI has FIVE active oral health bills in play that would make major breakthroughs in oral health access for people across :

👉 HB 5561: Expanding Adult Medicaid Benefits
👉 HB 5303: Expanding Home-Based Oral Health Care
👉 HB 5399: Inclusive Care through Provider Training
👉 HB 5406: Dental Care for Connecticut Veterans
👉 SB 8: Protecting the Oral Health Workforce

While we should be excited and focused on policy at a time of such opportunity, we're worried about being able to move the work forward -- our largest national funder has suddenly and unexpectedly redirected the dollars that support our advocacy efforts.

As Connecticut's only statewide oral health advocacy organization, we need to be on the frontlines for these changes to happen. We need bridge funding of $175,000 to maintain our momentum and see this critical work through.

Please make a gift today to and help COHI cross the finish line for residents who are counting on us: https://tinyurl.com/COHIDonation

03/31/2026

The COHI team recently had the opportunity to meet with dental hygiene students at Goodwin University—and left feeling truly inspired.

Their enthusiasm for improving oral health and their commitment to strengthening public health programs was evident in every conversation. These future professionals are already thinking beyond the clinic, with a clear passion for advancing policies that expand access to care and improve health outcomes in their communities.

Oral health is a critical part of overall health, and the future of the dental hygiene profession is bright with such dedicated, thoughtful, and driven students entering the field.

Thank you to the students and faculty at Goodwin University for the warm welcome and for your commitment to building a healthier future for all.

03/30/2026

Thank you to all who attended our Legislative Breakfast last week and helped make it a huge success! On March 26th, legislators, providers, community members, and oral health advocates came together to discuss key oral health issues affecting residents and efforts needed to make an impact during this legislative session.

Our discussions highlighted access to care, emerging issues driven by federal funding shifts, and opportunities to strengthen oral health equity across the state. It was a great morning of rallying together in support of improving access to oral health!

03/27/2026

YOU'RE INVITED: Save the date for COHI's 25th Anniversary Gathering this June! 💫

The Connecticut Oral Health Initiative turns 25 this year! Join us for our Annual Gathering as we honor 25 years of advocating for access, quality, and equity in oral health care in Connecticut.

This special anniversary gathering on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 5:30pm at The Pond House Cafe in West Hartford, CT will bring together oral health champions from across the state to reflect on our progress, celebrate our community, and renew our commitment to the work ahead.

Whether you're an oral health professional, student, policymaker, or simply passionate about improving community health, we welcome you to join us. We've got a lot of exciting things in store so stay tuned; this is an event you won't want to miss! Tickets and sponsorships go on sale soon - more info to come! ✨🦷

03/26/2026

COHI strongly supports the proposed legislation to provide free dental care to all Veterans in Connecticut. While this legislation is working through the process, COHI, with the generous support of Delta Dental of New Jersey and Connecticut, is offering Veterans in Connecticut, on a first-come, first-served basis, free oral care to those in need. Find out more: https://www.ctoralhealth.org/salute

It is about honoring service and ensuring that those who protected our nation are not left without basic health care once they return home.

03/23/2026

Even with dental insurance, many people are still hit with large, unexpected bills.

While federal protections limit out-of-pocket costs for most medical care, those same protections often don’t apply to dental insurance. That means patients can still face high costs for basic or necessary care—even when they’re insured.

According to the American Dental Association, 77% of adults had dental insurance in 2021, yet 1 in 4 still reported cost as a barrier to getting care.

👉 So what’s the problem?
Dental coverage often includes:

Annual caps (sometimes as low as $1,000)
Limited coverage for essential procedures
High out-of-pocket costs for patients

Insurance should make care accessible—not create more barriers.

At COHI, we see firsthand how confusing coverage, high costs, and limited benefits keep people from getting the care they need.

We need stronger policies that:
✔ Combined Medical and Dental insurance coverage options
✔ Remove arbitrary caps on essential care
✔ Ensure affordability for patients

Oral health is health—and it’s time our policies reflect that.

🔗 Read more: https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/healthq-dental-care-insurance-large-bills/

Costs keep many Americans, even those with insurance, from getting dental care. Understanding how dental insurance works and leaning into preventive care can help keep dental problems — and bills — manageable.