Dental Health in the News

[Margo Harris]

A thoughtful article appeared in the Seattle Times on New Year's Eve -
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/displ
ay?slug=dental31m0&date=20021231&query=dental+health  The article describes
a dental health initiative ongoing at the UW, in multiple locations in
Washington and Alaska.  Several leading dental health providers are quote in
the article, including the husband of one of our very own PNW SOPHE members!

One interesting reference is to an "in process" web site - EthnoDent.  While
the site is still some time away from delivery, it builds on the success of
EthnoMed, developed at Harborview.  I think most of you know about EthnoMed,
but I thought it was worth a mention here so you might take a new look in
the new year.  EthnoMed is a compilation of ethnic medicine information
presented by Harborview.  If you read the feature article on line this
month - http://ethnomed.org, it too offers a dental/oral health focus -
"Oral Health Beliefs, Traditions and Practices in the Somali Culture."

I'm currently working on an oral health project at Children's, and it is
remarkably helpful to understand the different oral health practices of
different cultural groups.  It can also get somewhat discouraging to learn
about the impact of an "American" diet on oral health for some of these
cultural groups.  Margo

Margo Harris
Seattle, WA
206/932-1273
Email: margo at pnwhealth.com
Internet: www.pnwhealth.com
PNW SOPHE Job Bank: www.pnwhealth.com/jobbank.htm
"I know God won't give me anything I can't handle.
I just wish (s)he didn't trust me so much."  Mother Theresa