In an article published on October 11, DrBicuspid.com reported on a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (October 10, 2016). In that study, researchers Daniel Aaron and Michael Siegel, MD, reported that nearly 100 organizations, including the National Dental Association (NDA) and the U.S. government, accepted sponsorship funds from the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo.
DrBicuspid.com reached out to the NDA before publication of the article for comment, as it was the only dental organization mentioned in the study. While we did not receive a reply before publication, DrBicuspid.com has since received a response from the association's president, Judy Greanlea Taylor, DDS, MPH, which we reprint in full below with the organization's permission.
Judy Greenlea Taylor, DDS, MPH, is the president of the NDA.In the years of 2011-2014, the National Dental Association (NDA) connected with the philanthropic efforts of the Coca-Cola Company and Foundation in health- and well-being-related partnership and research activities. The company's stated goals of continuing to engage in the public health community and working together with organizations, government, and civil society to pursue solutions to support stronger, healthier communities allowed an opportunity to connect this mission with that of the NDA and NDA's HEALTH-NOW (Health, Equity, Literacy Technology and Hope-National Outreach on Wheels) community grassroots initiative. The goal of NDA HEALTH-NOW is to increase healthcare access, reduce disparities, increase health literacy, and promote prevention in underserved and vulnerable populations, all through public-private partnerships.
These partnerships and funding opportunities provide an opportunity to communicate back to these partners' significant evidence-based findings regarding the oral health status, challenges, and proposed solutions to improving the health and well-being of our communities.
The NDA has and continues to be at the forefront of reducing disease burden and its root causes. The NDA does not condone the increased dietary intake of ingredients that cause ill effects on not only oral health but overall health. It further supports the agreement of the three biggest U.S. soft-drink companies to cut the number of beverage calories that Americans consume.
By gathering community research and providing health literacy, prevention promotion, as well as services through funded programs like HEALTH-NOW, this provides an opportunity to not only educate the communities but provide education and feedback reports to the partners involved as well. "Sometimes in providing solutions, you have to work internal to the problem." It is our hope that this evidence-based feedback continues to assist previous and future partners in their solutions for better health.
The NDA has not received funding from the Coca-Cola Company or Foundation since 2014, but we commend their philanthropic efforts both nationally and globally, including their recent efforts (using their bottled water brands) in collaboration with other companies to donate up to 6.5 million bottles of water to schoolchildren in Flint, MI, to help with the city's public health crisis. Not to mention their sustainable water replenishment projects across the globe.
As acknowledged previously in one of our NDA Women's Health Symposiums, we also commend and are inspired by their efforts consistent with a mission of the NDA, to advance richly tenured African-American women executives to senior posts, which is something you don't often find under the banner of one corporation.
Judy Greenlea Taylor, DDS, MPH, is the president of the National Dental Association.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
