Changing Oregon’s Dental Dialogue

The Oregon Dental Association (ODA) sought to reframe Oregon’s dental dialogue. The Hubbell team designed and implemented a robust thought leadership campaign on behalf of the organization designed to educate legislators, staff and civic leaders.

2000

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Members

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Stories

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Mission

Accessible dental care means much more than having the perfect smile.

In 2017, the Oregon Dental Association (ODA) sought to reframe Oregon’s dental dialogue. Rural Oregonian’s weren’t visiting dentists and the state legislature was considering a variety of bills to change dental practices and requirements. The Association wanted to ensure that proposed changes weren’t shortsighted with lasting negative impacts on the industry.

The Hubbell team designed and implemented a robust thought leadership campaign on behalf of the organization. Designed to educate legislators, staff and civic leaders, the campaign consisted of three primary components:

  • The team created a suite of materials to help tell the story of Oregon’s dentists. From fact sheets to dentist stories to written testimony, these materials explained efforts underway to reach marginalized populations while raising awareness of the link between oral and physical health.
  • We launched a concentrated earned media campaign designed to insert dentists into the statewide conversation on Oregon’s oral health needs.
  • All Oregonians need access to Dentists Op-ed.
  • We guided the organizations legislative strategy through multiple sessions by contextualizing the media narrative around proposed bills and building allies across the state.
Our work culminated in the creation and launch of ODA’s 2020 Impact Report. This report showcases Oregon dentists and the positive impact they have in their communities and throughout the state. In addition, the report emphasizes the ODA’s role in expanding  utilization and access to dental care while supporting oral health as a crucial component of Oregonians’ overall wellbeing.
Hubbell showcased the stories of more than a dozen dental leaders in Oregon and highlighted their impact on local communities.
After three years of helping the Association navigate Oregon’s dental health care landscape, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the important role of dentistry grew even more apparent. PPE shortages, hospital overflow and preventative health care measures became crucial elements of an overburdened hospital system. Dentists were asked to shut down their practices and donate their PPE to front-line health workers.
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But that wasn’t the entire story.

Hubbell elevated the safe and important role of dentists in preventing emergency dental needs while also highlighting dentists doing great community work through a timely earned media strategy.
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This earned media included bringing attention to PPE donations in local outlets, providing a look into dental office cleaning procedures and encouraging emergency dental care when absolutely necessary.

Confronting a Higher
Education Crisis

Our team built a crisis communications plan as the Board of Trustees began considering its options. We worked alongside leadership to develop a step-by-step strategy to address every communications aspect of a closure—from media relations to employee and student communications to community outreach.

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