May 7, 2010
The CDA recently joined the ADA and state dental associations across in the nation in sending a letter urging Congress to explicitly authorize state WIC (the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children, also known as food stamp) programs to incorporate more oral health education and care into their outreach model. In some states, there has been resistance to doing much oral health outreach within this program, based on a rationale that this type of activity is outside of the WIC mission. The program provides a critical opportunity to reach an at-risk population.
Congress must reauthorize the WIC program this year. Dentistry has encouraged the House Education and Labor Committee and the House Agriculture Committee to clarify the extent to which oral health initiatives can be incorporated into the WIC program as part of this reauthorization.
