News & Publications

Media FAQs, Oral Health Stats and Requests for Interviews

AzDA is a responsive, authoritative source for media stories involving dentistry, oral health, access to care, dental innovation, and Arizona’s dental community.

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AzDA At-A-Glance

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Nonprofit Professional organization
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1909 Established in Arizona
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2,000+ Dentists statewide
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ADA American Dental Association affiliate
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3 Component societies across Arizona
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AzDA provides the following services to member dentists

  • Marketing and demographic data to help members evaluate long-term practice viability.
  • Pre-screening of products and services through AzDA Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of AzDA.
  • Opportunities to participate in access-to-care issues through legislative action and volunteerism.
  • High-quality continuing education opportunities to help maintain licensure requirements and support patient care.
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AzDA provides the following services to the public

  • Refer patients to dentists in their area.
  • Provide low-cost clinic referral information.
  • Share information and research on a variety of treatment options.
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Oral Health Facts

Untreated dental decay can cause pain and tooth loss, which may be associated with poor nutrition, impaired speech development, absence from school, inability to concentrate, and reduced self-esteem.

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More than half of Arizona’s kindergarten children have a history of tooth decay.

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Almost two out of three third-grade children have a history of tooth decay.

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More than a quarter of Arizona’s kindergarten and third-grade children have untreated tooth decay.

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About 44% of Arizona’s third-grade children have at least one dental sealant on a permanent molar tooth.

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Some oral health disparities still exist among children attending lower-income schools.

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Arizona has been successful in efforts to address disparities in the prevalence of dental sealants.

Sources

  1. Arizona Department of Health Services Data Brief, December 2015, Healthy Smiles Healthy Bodies Survey 2015.
  2. Arizona Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health Services, Public Health Prevention Services, Office of Oral Health: Arizona School Dental Survey, 1999–2003.