Why Your Voice Matters
Many Kansans struggle to get dental care, including those with disabilities, parents, veterans, and older adults. Personal stories help decision-makers understand what needs to change. In 2023, Oral Health Kansas formed our Lived Experience Advisory Group, a group of individuals and parents/caregivers who have disabilities and experience with Medicaid. Everyone deserves access to dental care, but for many people, it isn’t easy. By sharing your story, you can help improve the system and make dental care better for everyone.
When you share your experience and stories, you help:
- Increase dental care access for others.
- Show dentists how to better support individuals with various needs.
- Highlight what is working and what is not.
- Offer each other peer support.
The Lived Experience Advisory Group meets virtually every month to talk about real dental care challenges. Members share ideas on:
- What their family member goes through at the dental appointment.
- Ways to help people feel safe and comfortable.
- Thoughts on how to improve dental care access for people with disabilities.
Who Can Join?
The group welcomes:
- Parents
- Veterans
- Older adults
- People who struggle to find dental care
- People with intellectual/developmental disabilities or family members
- People experiencing poverty
- People living rural areas
- People of color
- Immigrant populations
- English not first language
- LGBTQ community
- Native American
Visit https://www.oralhealthkansas.org/LivedExperience.html and fill out the form.
