Northeast Delta Dental

Most pregnant women recognize how important their own overall health is for their baby’s health, but may ignore a critical component – their oral health. In fact, a survey¹ of American children’s oral health conducted on behalf of Delta Dental Plans Association found that nearly 4 out of 10 American mothers neglect to visit a dentist during pregnancy. Such a visit can help prevent harmful oral and overall health problems for mothers and their babies.

Burlington, Vermont:  Delta Dental Plan of Vermont announces the election of two new board trustees, Kenneth Palm, DDS, and Richard Park.

Manchester, NH:  The Palace Theatre has announced it is a recipient of a pledge commitment for $10,000 per year over the next three years toward its Second Century Campaign designed to fund its capital campaign. The fund will be used for much needed theatre improvements and safety upgrades.

Northeast Delta Dental proudly announces its newest publication, GRIN! Magazine!  The quarterly publication will feature a variety of helpful and education articles centered around the importance of good oral health.  Each issue will offer trivia, reader questions and answers, feature articles, and a whole lot more.  Check out our first issue today!  http://nedd.grinmag.com

While smokeless tobacco has not been completely banished from baseball, Delta Dental applauds Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) during Oral Cancer Awareness Month for making a positive step toward completely eliminating tobacco’s visibility from impressionable young fans. Under a recent agreement, MLB players, managers and coaches will no longer be able to carry a smokeless tobacco tin or package in their uniforms during games or when fans are in stadiums. Additionally, they will be prohibited from “chewing” during televised interviews, at autograph signings and other fan events.

Most people associate the health risks of excessive alcohol drinking with damage to the liver or stomach lining; but, during Alcohol Awareness Month, Northeast Delta Dental warns that alcohol abuse can also prove harmful to oral health.

As widely reported in the news, at the end of March 2012 the United States Supreme Court (USSC) heard the oral arguments on the lawsuits that were filed to challenge the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The USSC is expected to issue its decision on the ACA cases by the end of June. Along with the rest of the country, Northeast Delta Dental is waiting for what we hope will be a decision that resolves the issues clearly.

Concord, New Hampshire:  Delta Dental Plan of New Hampshire announces the election of a new director to its board, Concord resident Jean-Paul Rabbath, DMD, MAGD. Dr. Rabbath practices general dentistry in Tilton in his own practice, Jean-Paul Rabbath DMD, PLLC.

Saco, ME - Delta Dental Plan of Maine announces the election of two new directors, Michael A. Bevilacqua, of Portland, and Jeffrey B. Doss, DDS, of Cape Elizabeth.

Concord, NH: Northeast Delta Dental recently promoted Jodie Hittle to Vice President of Sales after serving the corporation as its Maine Market Manager for over two decades. He is now responsible for the sales efforts in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

UPPER VALLEY: Health Connections of the Upper Valley is pleased to announce the award of a $4,000 grant from the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation. Health Connections, a non-profit health prevention organization that engages in prevention initiatives to reduce the risk of chronic disease due to tobacco use and obesity, will use the grant to educate youth and adults about the importance of consistent oral health habits such as brushing and flossing daily, limiting the consumption of sweetened beverages, and not starting or quitting tobacco use.

Saco, Maine:  Northeast Delta Dental recently promoted Senior Account Executive Marie Bridges to Maine Market Manager.  A Falmouth resident, Bridges joined Northeast Delta Dental in 2007 with a background of over two decades of experience in the health care insurance industry, including managing major accounts at Unum and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Biddeford, Maine—The Biddeford Free Clinic (“the Clinic”) announced today they have received a $3,000 grant from Northeast Delta Dental Foundation in support of the Clinic's new Dental Wellness Center. “The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation cares about the health of everyone in our community,” said Clinic executive director Joan M. Gordon. “We are grateful for their continued and significant support.”

PORTSMOUTH – The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation recently awarded a $6,000 grant to help Families First purchase dental supplies for its on-site dental center and toothbrushes to give to children participating in Seacoast Healthy Grins, its school-based dental education, screening and cleaning program

Through its grant award program, the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation invested over $13,000 in Maine oral health programs in the second half of 2011 to provide oral health education and increase access to dental care. Grant recipients included: The Maine Dental Hygienists’ Association; Saving Smiles Inc., Windsor; and Washington County Children’s Program.

Soon the United States Supreme Court (USSC) will hear oral arguments on the lawsuits that were brought by states challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the ACA). The highest court in the country will decide whether Congress assumed more power than the Constitution gives it when it voted to make it mandatory for every person in the U.S. to get health insurance (the so called “individual mandate”). Reasonable people can disagree on which way they think the USSC will rule on the cases, but nothing will be certain until the nine Supreme Court justices release their decision, which will likely be in June.

Over the last few months, the Tooth Ferry, the dental truck of the Washington County Children’s Program, has received some much needed maintenance and repairs. The Tooth Ferry was created as Maine’s first mobile dental unit in 2003 and has logged thousands of miles providing oral health services throughout Washington County. WCCP’s hygienists on board the Tooth Ferry visit children in their schools and at their Head Start and preschool programs to educate them on how to take care of their teeth.

Concord, NH:  Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. since 1921, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which estimated that nearly 1.24 million people – or 141 every hour and 2.35 every minute – suffered a new or recurrent heart attack in 2010.¹ So Valentine’s Day – a holiday commonly associated with the heart – seems like the perfect time for Northeast Delta Dental, the foremost dental benefits administrator in northern New England, to point out the connection between oral health and heart health.

Concord, NH:  Most American caregivers don’t realize that cavities are nearly 100 percent preventable, according to a survey of American children’s oral health by Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA).¹ Tooth decay can develop any time after the teeth erupt into the mouth starting at about six months of age. So, it’s important to establish good oral health habits from birth to keep away cavity-causing bacteria.

Despite legal and legislative challenges, the federal health care reform statute, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”), continues to be the law and federal regulations further defining the details of the law, and state laws designed to address implementation of the law, continue to develop.  Northeast Delta Dental is actively engaged in efforts to help shape both the federal regulations and state statutes as they relate to dental benefits to be included in the health benefits exchanges (“HBE”) as they are established. To assist in this effort, a special attorney has been hired to assist in the Northeast Delta Dental efforts.

Somersworth, NH:  Goodwin Community Health announces it has received grants from The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation and Granite United Way.  Both donations come as a result of Goodwin Community Health’s work to offer the most vulnerable members of the community access to quality, integrated health care.