• Conduct oral health policy research that advances children’s oral health issues and supports AAPD public policy and public relations initiatives at the national, state, local, and international levels with legislatures, government agencies, professional associations, and other non-governmental organizations.
• Monitor and reports on state, national, and international data concerning the oral health status and overall health status of children
• Develop and implement special project activities that advance children’s oral health issues and public understanding of such, in accordance with AAPD policies and guidelines
• To produce timely and high quality policy analysis on critical issues impacting children’s oral health.
• To produce useful studies and analysis to further the understanding of practices which will contribute to the oral health of all children

Commentary by Chief Policy Analyst

These commentaries by Chief Policy Analyst Dr. Paul S. Casamassimo offers a concise and insightful perspective on current research and policy issues impacting children’s oral health. They are disseminated not only to AAPD members but to other dental organizations and key policymakers.

Is There a Medical-Dental Divide in Pediatric Health Care? February, 2017. While recent opinion has made much of the separation of medicine and dentistry and its influence on the limitations of the oral health care system, this commentary argues that the relationship between pediatric dentistry and pediatric medicine comes closer to being next-door neighbors than residing across a great divide.