Dawn Hillary Oka

My personal platform, "Smiles for All", focuses on tackling the problems of oral health through education and awareness. On a national level, my mission is to make a difference in all lives by implementing and highlighting the importance of good oral health. Being in dentistry for nearly a decade now, I've seen first-hand that there is a local and nation-wide lack of accessible resources outside of the dental office setting. According to the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health, oral infections have been studied to have drastic and life-altering effect on systemic diseases, including Hypertension, adverse pregnancies, Diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, Arthritis, Heart Disease, Kidney Disease, and more. As a big advocate for unity in the community, "Smiles for All" will facilitate inter-professional collaborations between local Dental Hygienists and other healthcare providers to highlight the importance of oral health and in treating the individual body as a whole, rather than as different parts. I want to also actively serve the younger generation, with hopes to implement a program where Oral Health Education can be brought into school curriculums.