Social Justice

Fundamentally, this is the value that OPEN members are rooted in, and committed to—increasing the state of justice for Americans in our country. We see oral health as an issue of social justice because:

  • Everyone should have the same opportunity to live a healthy life.
  • No one should suffer from a chronic disease that is completely preventable.
  • It is our responsibility to advocate and mobilize for the many who don’t have access to oral health care and prevention.

In our work with the FrameWorks Institute, we learned that “leading with a value” is critical to successfully communicating with others about our story that in oral health care, a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. People have different needs when it comes to their oral health, and different situations call for different response. Take a look at our Framing Toolkit for resources you can use in helping to forward just systems that recognize specific needs and accommodates them to support oral health.