Phase 2. Connect and Create a Shared Vision
IOH Toolkit
Chapter 3. Create Awareness and Secure Support
Phase 2. Connect and Create a Shared Vision
Once you have identified potential allies and stakeholders, energize your campaign by gathering interested parties, so they can make connections, discover common goals, and set priorities.
Suggestions for building community
Hold a kick-off meeting. This gathering will convene committed leaders and stakeholders who can generate ideas, engage in dialogue, and seek out common ground for developing a shared vision. Take this occasion to engage faculty in self-reflection. Ask difficult questions, such as:
- Do you believe that all health care professionals play a role in oral health promotion and disease prevention?
- Are you prepared to teach your students about oral health promotion and disease prevention?
IOH at Northeastern University (NEU)
NEU’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences kicked off the IOH initiative by hosting an “Oral Health Summit.” The summit convened more than 125 health professionals, funders, policymakers, faculty, students, and community leaders from across New England. Key network leaders included deans, directors, faculty, and researchers from surrounding institutions. Attendees participated in roundtable discussions about advancing interprofessional education and collaborative practice in oral health. Summit leaders distilled ideas from the event into a core set of guiding principles that influenced the development of later program activities and initiatives.
Host networking events. Social gatherings such as lunches or breakfasts provide opportunities for network leaders, community partners, and other stakeholders to build and sustain connections. Rather than tackle big questions or complex issues, social gatherings should be used to build morale, solidify commitment, and create momentum for ongoing initiatives.
IOH at Northeastern University (NEU)
In IOH’s second year, facilitators hosted “Breakfast at Bouvé: Weaving Connections to Improve Oral Health.” Fifty medical and dental professionals from in and around the university attended. Organizers emphasized the collective impact that can be achieved through strong networks, and they stressed the importance of prioritizing openness, transparency, and shared leadership to cultivate that strength. Finally, speakers summarized the triumphs and lessons of the prior year and announced program plans for year two. This event proved crucial for maintaining community connections.
Engage the community with oral health media. Film and video screenings provide a creative way to promote oral and overall health. You can work media into a class presentation or convene students, faculty, and community healthcare providers in an informal social setting such as a local community center.
IOH at Northeastern University (NEU)
To build community and raise awareness around oral health integration, IOH hosted a movie premiere and social for more than 100 students, faculty, and health care professionals. Attendees watched Say Ahh!, a documentary about the connection between oral health and overall health and wellness. Organizers chose this film for its broad appeal. It is both accessible to students and informative for practitioners. The showing took place in the evening, and attendees arrived 30 minutes early for a popcorn social. Time was allotted for discussion afterward.
Promotion for the premiere included social media posts and an email invitation. Invitees included students and faculty at the university, program directors at surrounding institutions, and directors at local community centers and hospitals.
Media Resources
- Videos from Smiles for Life
- Say Ahh!, a documentary about the connection between oral health and overall health and wellness
- Oral Health in Medicine Model Medical Curriculum Video
- Building Oral Health Coalition video series on MedEdPORTAL (login required)
- Answering the Call: Joining the Fight for Oral Health
- Nursing and Oral Health
First Published: 9/2015
Last updated: 03/2016