About Citizens' Watch for Oral Health
Our History
Citizens' Watch for Oral Health was created in 2000 to respond to the U.S. Surgeon General's challenge to make oral health a priority. The overall goal is:
To create a public climate in which policy proposals to improve oral health are more likely to be understood and supported by the public and policymakers.
Research and framing
The Frameworks Institute conducted significant research to evaluate public perceptions about oral health and to develop new messages to "frame" oral health as an issue that the public and policymakers should care about. Based on the original research, Frameworks created a strong message platform. The messages included:
- Oral health is part of overall health
- Poor oral health undermines education and opportunity
- Prevention is a community responsibility
These messages served as the foundation for the development of supporting creative elements using the slogan "Watch Your Mouth." Public opinion polling indicated in the first three years that the campaign was successful in raising awareness among the public that oral disease is a prevalent problem with significant consequences.
Initially the campaign focused on children's oral health. Subsequent research has shown that oral disease among seniors in Washington is a major and growing problem. As a result, in 2004 the campaign was expanded to include seniors. Seniors have significant oral health needs and will benefit from many of the campaign's policy solutions, including support for fluoridated water.
Media attention
A significant part of the campaign has been working with the media to place opinion columns, obtain editorial support and generate media coverage of the problem of oral disease, its consequences, and policy and program solutions. Significant media coverage and editorial support has been achieved. Public opinion polling shows that a majority of those surveyed favor policies to improve oral health.
Coalition building
The Citizens' Watch for Oral Health was formed to broaden the constituency and increase the variety and number of voices speaking out on behalf of oral health. The coalition is comprised of labor, business, medical, dental, public health and child advocacy groups.
Advocating for policy changes
The goal of the first phase of the campaign was to increase the likelihood that proposals to improve oral health would be supported by the public and policymakers. Phase Two of the campaign is designed to build upon the advance work of Phase One and to shift focus to advocating for cost-effective solutions that improve oral health.
The campaign's policy objectives include supporting community water fluoridation, expanding Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) programs, promoting healthy options in school vending machines and increasing oral disease prevention.
