Sept. 22 — United Way to Host State Dental Director at Meeting

Dr. Kumar to discuss plan for Prop 56 (Tobacco Tax) funding in Ventura County at meeting

CAMARILLO — The State Dental Director, Dr. Jayanth Kumar, will address United Way’s Building Healthy Smiles Collaborative on Friday, September, 22, 2017 from 9:00 am to 10:30 am at the United Way of Ventura County, 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd. Camarillo, CA 93012. Dr. Kumar will be discussing implementation of the state oral health plan with funding through the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016 (Proposition 56) funds.

“We’re grateful to have Dr. Kumar join us for this important meeting, as we tackle an issue that is costing our community $1 million in hospital visits each year due to untreated dental decay. We welcome the community to join us for this important conversation,” said Eric Harrison, President & CEO of United Way.

A state oral health plan is a tool to systematically address the burden of oral diseases and provides a blueprint for concerted action to improve oral health. Ventura County is expected to receive some of the Prop 56 funding and is in the planning phase of developing a program.

To attend this free public event, please RSVP to Catherine.Pedrosa@vcunitedway.org

About the speakerDr. Jayanth Kumar was appointed to the position of State Dental Director, California Department of Public Health by Governor Jerry Brown in August 2015. Dr. Kumar is a board-certified specialist in dental public health and a former director and president of the American Board of Dental Public Health. Before joining the California Department of Public Health, he was state dental director in New York where he held multiple positions, and served as Associate Professor at the School of Public Health, University at Albany.

About Building Healthy SmilesThe Building Healthy Smiles Initiative is a collaborative effort by public agencies, community based organizations and the dental community to address gaps in services and barriers to care. Our goal is to eliminate dental disease in children in Ventura County.

About United Way of Ventura County: United Way of Ventura County was established in 1945. The organization is working to Advance the Common Good by focusing on the areas of Education, Income, and Health — considered the building blocks for a good life. United Way’s goal is to create long-lasting changes that prevent problems from happening in the first place. For more information, please visit www.vcunitedway.org