1105: Healthy Smiles, Stronger Systems: Bringing Oral Health into the Public Health Conversation, with Lessons from RMI

Today: bringing oral health into the public health conversation with Flora Nathan, assistant secretary for the Bureau of Oral Health in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. At her first ASTHO Spring Leadership Forum, Flora shares a candid look at the challenges and opportunities of delivering oral healthcare across a U.S. remote island nation. From severe workforce shortages and long clinic wait times to the ripple effects on families, schools, and local economies, she highlights how oral health is deeply connected to broader public health outcomes.  She also discusses the importance of integrating oral health into maternal and child health programs, school-based care, and community outreach, as well as the realities of operating without consistent funding. ASTHO Leadership Institute | ASTHOStorytelling in Public Health: Lessons from STI Prevention & Care