The Dental Specialists Join Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic

The Dental Specialists is pleased to share we have recently joined more than 100 other organizations that are part of the Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic.

The Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic is a one-of-a-kind public-private partnership that comprises government, communities, health systems, provider groups, payers, industry, nonprofits, academia, and more – all committed to sharing knowledge, aligning ongoing initiatives, and advancing collective, multi-sector solutions. It is coordinated by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).

As part of this network, we are dedicated to reversing national trends in opioid misuse and overdose—a goal that is possible only through the collective action by everyone. In particular, Network Organizations commit to developing and disseminating evidence-based strategies in the Action Collaborative’s four focus areas:

• Health professional education and training;
• Opioid prescribing guidelines and evidence standards;
• Prevention, treatment, and recovery services; and
• Research, data, and metrics needs.

Network Organizations are active supporters and contributors to the work of the Action Collaborative. As a network organization, we affirm our commitment to being part of the solution to opioid abuse. Therefore, The Dental Specialists will:

• Provide input on activities of the Action Collaborative;
• Receive networking and information-sharing opportunities;
• Receive regular updates on the work of the Action Collaborative, including priority invitations to public meetings and advance notice of new resources and publications;
• Receive communications tools such as infographics and social media toolkits; and
• Receive invitations to act as partners in new efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.

We are proud to say we are the first specialty dental group to join the collaborative. This step is consistent with our core organizational purpose “to improve people’s lives as a leader in oral health.” We invite our peers within dentistry and other health care organizations to join the Action Collaborative as a Network Organization. To learn more about the collaborative, click here.