An exciting week of national level advocacy! KinderSmile Foundation’s CEO and COO, Dr. Nicole McGrath-Barnes and Dr. Michal Herman participated in Care Quest Institute for Oral Health’s OPEN (Oral Health Progress and Equity Network) Day on the Hill, on May 14th, 2025.
Their first day in Washington DC was spent preparing for a day on the Hill, where our docs expanded their advocacy efforts to increase access to oral health care for marginalized populations BEYOND the state of New Jersey!
OPEN is made up of people and organizations from across the nation whose goal is to integrate oral health into overall health and make health care equitable, accessible, and affordable for everyone. CareQuest Institute supports the network.
The Day on the Hill was an exciting and powerful day! Dr. Nicole McGrath-Barnes, Founder and CEO of KSF, and Dr. Michal Herman, COO of KSF, were at the Capital all day, speaking to legislators, and advocating for oral health policy change.
Our leaders had the opportunity to meet with Congressman Herb Conaway, Senator Cory Booker’s Legislative Assistant Nadia Laniyan, and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill’s Legislative Aide Lora Nedza. They continued the conversation with the office of Senator Andy Kim.
Together they spoke about the unjust oral health inequities faced by marginalized populations, not only in NJ, but across the nation, pleading for change. They advocated against Medicaid cuts, for improving access to dental care for veterans, and for the support of the HEADS UP Act.
Dr. Nicole and Dr. Herman shared first hand stories from KinderSmile Foundation’s patients, about how lack of access to oral health education and preventive care disproportionately impacts our Black and Brown children and families.
They were two of very few dental providers who participated in these meaningful discussions. We can only hope that their voices were heard, as every word spoken was on behalf of our community.
The following day, Dr. Nicole McGrath-Barnes joined fellow National Dental Association (NDA) Members dedicated to advancing policies that promote equitable access to oral health care on the third day on Capitol Hill!
The mission of NDA is to promote oral health equity among people of color by harnessing the collective power of its members, advocating for the needs of and mentoring dental students of color, and raising the profile of the profession in our communities.
Dr. Nicole had the opportunity to connect with lawmakers, reinforce the importance of comprehensive oral health policy, and strengthen relationships that drive meaningful change.
NDA Day on the Hill is a call to action to ensure that oral health remains a national priority.
Thank you to CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and OPEN for granting KinderSmile Foundation this special opportunity. We are grateful for the platform to share with others the importance of oral health, hoping it becomes a priority and equally accessible for everyone! #ItTakesAVillageKSF
