CONTACT: Carol S. Weber, APR, Director of Public Relations
PHONE: 414-755-4108 (direct); 414-315-9321 (cell after normal business hours)
E-MAIL: cweber@wda.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEST ALLIS, WIS., Dec. 1, 2011 – The Wisconsin Dental Association’s “Promoting Early Childhood Dental Health” program, which combines continuing education for dental professionals with a public awareness campaign, has won a 2011 American Dental Association Golden Apple Award.
The WDA was one of just 11 state and local dental societies nationwide to be recognized for outstanding achievement in dental society activities and excellence in leadership. The ADA announced these awards at its annual meeting last month in Las Vegas. This is the WDA’s fifth Golden Apple in the award program’s 23-year history.
Rising incidence of tooth decay among young children, professional standards for examining and treating 1-year-olds and a limited number of pediatric dentists in Wisconsin prompted the WDA to launch its dental home initiative aimed at educating general dentists and their office teams in 2008.
In January 2011, the state dental association went public with a Baby Teeth Matter campaign with the message that primary or baby teeth are important to a child’s long-term physical and social development.
Among the campaign’s print, broadcast and online communication tools is a 30-second television spot that earned a 2011 bronze Telly® Award. It is the fifth Telly® for the WDA since 2006.
Telly® Awards were established in 1978 to honor outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials. This year’s competition drew some 11,000 entries from across the United States and five continents which were scored on a performance scale – silver or bronze.
Public survey results show an overwhelming 91 percent of Wisconsin residents 18 and older have a “very favorable” or “somewhat favorable” opinion of dentists and 79 percent have heard of or are familiar with the WDA.
The Wisconsin Dental Association was established in 1870. With more than 3,000 members statewide, the WDA represents 85 percent of all licensed dentists in Wisconsin. WDA members are committed to promoting professional excellence and quality oral health care. The WDA is headquartered in West Allis and has a legislative office in Madison. It is one of 53 constituent (state-territorial) dental societies of the American Dental Association – the largest and oldest national dental association in the world. For more information on the WDA, call 414-276-4520, visit our WDA.org website or find us on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube.
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