In July, the country welcomed the world for the FIFA World Cup, and we celebrated incredible teamwork on the pitch. If you’ve ever watched a winning soccer team in action, you know it’s never about one superstar carrying the whole match (sorry, ball hogs). Championships are won through coordination—the defense talking to the midfield, the midfield setting up the forwards, the coach calling plays from the sideline, and yes, even that one person in the stands yelling “pass it” for reasons that remain unclear to everyone, including them.
Turns out, it takes similar teamwork to improve oral health. While we often think of oral health as a personal responsibility, remembering to brush, floss, and schedule dental appointments, the reality is that healthy communities are built through teamwork. No single person or organization can improve oral health alone.
The Starting Lineup
Think of community oral health like a soccer roster, where everyone has a position to play:
Dentists and dental hygienists are your forwards—on the front lines, delivering the care that keeps smiles healthy. But forwards can’t score without support.
Schools are the midfield, connecting the dots. They’re where kids spend most of their waking hours, making them a natural spot for screenings, education, and referrals to care. Washington schools played an important role in completing the latest Smile Survey. Through school screenings, this statewide assessment of second and third graders provides a snapshot of tooth decay rates, use of dental sealants, and other measures to give us key insights into our children’s oral health.
Community organizations play defense, catching those who might otherwise fall through the cracks—families without easy access to transportation, insurance, or even basic information about why oral health matters in the first place (hint: it’s connected to nearly everything else in the body, from heart health to diabetes management).
Policymakers are the coaches, setting the strategy from the sideline. Smart policy, like expanding Apple Health (Medicaid), community water fluoridation, dental benefits or funding school-based sealant programs, can change the outcome of the whole game before a single appointment happens.
Take any one of these players off the pitch, and the whole formation falls apart. A great dentist can’t fix a system where families can’t afford care. A great policy means nothing if there’s no one on the ground to implement it. It really does take a full team.
Why This Matters
Oral health disparities don’t happen by accident; they’re often the result of gaps between systems. A kid might see a school nurse who flags a dental issue, but if there’s no clear path connecting that flag to an actual dentist appointment, the play falls apart before it ever reaches the goal.
That’s the gap we’re working to close. Not by replacing any one player on the pitch, but by helping the whole team move together.
From the Pitch to the Community
When schools, health care providers, policymakers, community leaders, and local organizations work together, we can help remove obstacles and create pathways to better health. Small actions, from sharing information with families to supporting community programs, can have a lasting impact.
The benefits reach far beyond a healthy smile. Good oral health supports overall health, school success, workplace productivity, and confidence. When people can access the care they need, entire communities are stronger for it.
As visitors from around the globe visited our state, it’s a good reminder that world-class communities are built through teamwork. The same spirit that brings athletes, fans, and cities together can help create a future where everyone can achieve good oral health.
From the pitch to the community, oral health matters.
Interested in learning more about efforts to improve oral health access across Washington? Explore resources and community initiatives that help build healthier futures for everyone.