Building Bridges for Peace Through Oral Healthcare
What We Are About
Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders was founded to promote peace and well-being through oral health in countries, regions, and communities, particularly those facing social, economic, and political unrest. Using oral health as the path, members of the Alliance are committed, independent of any political agendas, to foster, create, and sustain collaborative relationships to bring peace and harmony among people.
Who We Are
The Alliance is an international nongovernmental nonprofit created by oral healthcare professionals and oral health advocates–dentists, dental educators, oral healthcare team members, business leaders, public servants, administrators, researchers, advocates, and others representing dozens of nationalities–with the vision of achieving global peace and health through oral health by means of collaborative dialog and action.
What We Want to Do
Discussions and activities by Alliance members will focus on creating a supportive environment for harmonious relationships across cultures. Members of the Alliance believe that science, and specifically knowledge and expertise associated with oral health, can be the foundation for individual and community health and well-being, as well as enable communication among individuals, regardless of political allegiances, when governmental relations may be difficult. Science and health diplomacy can build bridges, helping to prepare and nurture protective environments for people living in conflict, post-conflict, or hostile areas to come together for a unified purpose of attaining and sustaining the health of populations.
Whether the specific goal is to improve overall health of communities, to remove health inequalities, or for oral health professionals living in different countries to explore resolutions for peaceful interactions, the intent of the Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders is to develop leadership and advocacy for the purpose of building human capacity to promote peace and well-being through oral health.
Guiding Principles
Basic to the work of the Alliance is the overall guiding principle of ethical behavior and impartiality, respecting all racial, ethnic, religious, political, gender, and age characteristics of people everywhere. The Alliance is dedicated to the spirit of humanitarianism, having genuine concern for the lives of others and their improvement, and fosters mutual understanding and respect for the human right to health, including oral health, for all. Within this context, members of the Alliance view oral health as an integral part of general health, with many of the risk factors shared with diseases affecting other bodily systems. The projects to be sponsored by the Alliance should promote health, prevent disease, and provide appropriate healthcare for populations in areas in conflict, war, or social or economic distress.
On Behalf of Members of the Alliance:
Amid Ismail, BDS, MPH, DrPH, MBA
Dean
Kornberg School of Dentistry
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Alliance Initiatives
I. Information about the Alliance (including several videos) is on the Alliance website (www.alliancefororalhealthacrossborders.org) with an announcement, application/profile, and Alliance dues* (calculated on Purchasing Power Parity based on US dollar rates):
Dental School/University
- $1000
Not-for-Profit Organization/Association
- $1000
Industry/Corporate
- $2000+ sponsorship of Alliance activities
Individual
- $150
Supporting – Dental Association or Governmental Entity
- $1000
Three orientation sessions, sponsored by Henry Schein, Inc., for existing and potential members are being held in conjunction with global dental gatherings:
June 6, 7:30-10:00 am
After the ICDAS/ICCMS Caries Workshop. London, England
London Bridge Hotel, Shakespeare Room
July 11, 12:30-2:00 pm
During the Bridge to Peace Event, Jerusalem, Israel
Hadassah Ein Kerem, main seminar room
August 29, 8:00-10:00 am
At FDI World Dental Federation Conference, Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul Convention Center, B1 floor, Taksim 2 Hall
II. Alliance training is December 5 and 6 after the Greater New York Dental Meeting. Participants will learn about leadership and work together on oral health promotion projects. Oral health students and newly graduated professionals will learn to serve as “Young Ambassadors,” extending the reach of the Alliance in the pursuit of peace.
III. A conference for all members will be organized in 2014 to follow up on training and bring the full membership together, as well as launch cross-regional oral health programs.
Become a member in the Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders TODAY. To learn more or to apply for membership, visit www.alliancefororalhealthacrossborders.org
*Schools and student organizations from developing areas may apply to have dues waived.
Benefits of Membership
Members of the Alliance have the opportunity to participate in Alliance projects (short [1-2 years], intermediate [3-4], and long term [5+]):
Short Term
• Training for Leadership/Tolerance and Understanding
• Oral Health Promotion projects in areas of conflict or locations with social and economic inequities
Intermediate Term
• Bridge to Peace centers where Alliance members host students and faculty from areas of conflict to develop understanding through oral health and dental education diplomacy
• Alliance-affiliated volunteer clinics where Alliance members can send their students and faculty to work with other Alliance members through the provision of dental care in areas of conflict
Long Term
• Rapid dental response for international relief organizations
• New models for provision of care for people living in areas of conflict
