About Citizens' Watch for Oral Health
Our Mission
The Mission of the Citizens' Watch for Oral Health is to make certain that oral health is recognized as a critical part of overall health and to identify and build support for policies that improve oral health.
Launched in July 2000 and funded by the Washington Dental Service Foundation, Citizens' Watch is a response to the Surgeon General's call for states to do a better job of preventing oral disease. In his report "Oral Health in America," the Surgeon General called oral health a neglected area of health care and health care policy.
Citizens' Watch is a coalition of labor, business, medical, public health, education, dental and children's advocacy groups. Supporters include the Association of Washington Business, Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, American Academy of Pediatrics - Washington Chapter, Washington State Dental Association, Washington State Hospital Association and the Washington State Labor Council.
Citizens' Watch uses a variety of tools and techniques to achieve objectives including:
- Building coalitions
- Generating media attention
- Policy development and advocacy
- Using advertising and public service announcements
- Emailing newsletters and action alerts
- Public speaking
- Articles in organizations' newsletters
- Direct mail
- Grassroots coordination in key communities
