House Resolution 18

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE SULLIVAN-SCHEIN CORPORATION FOR DONATION OF A MOBILE DENTAL VAN TO THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO PROVIDE ORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED CITIZENS IN MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITIES.

WHEREAS, on October 16, 2006, the Sullivan-Schein Corporation gave a substantial and generous gift to the citizens of Mississippi in the form of a mobile dental office on wheels called "Tomorrow's Dental Office Today" or TDOT; and

WHEREAS, Sullivan-Schein developed TDOT in collaboration with the American Dental Association to exhibit cutting-edge dental treatment technology at the ADA Annual Session and dental trade shows; and

WHEREAS, for the past three years, TDOT has been out of the exhibit hall and on America's highways, providing community dental outreach in 24 communities, including the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the City of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Department of Health is the designated recipient of the van and is planning to locate this mobile dental facility in the Mississippi Delta (Clarksdale) and the Mississippi Gulf Coast region to assist dentists, many of whom are members of the Mississippi Dental Association, to improve access to dental preventive services and care for vulnerable populations, including the uninsured and underinsured; and

WHEREAS, by providing Mississippi with TDOT, the Sullivan-Schein Corporation, is helping Mississippi to revitalize these communities by improving access to oral health care and enhancing the quality of life for its citizens; and

WHEREAS, when the Mississippi Gulf Coast was reeling from the staggering effects of Hurricane Katrina, Sullivan-Schein Corporation, optimized the mobility of TDOT by taking this state-of-the-art facility to Waveland, Mississippi, where dental volunteers treated residents whose entire community had been erased; and

WHEREAS, from September 13, 2005, through October 29, 2005, TDOT was stationed in Waveland, Mississippi, where 975 people visited the Waveland site and 1077 dental visits were made for emergent dental care at no cost to those served or the local community; and

WHEREAS, Sullivan-Schein Corporation has thus made a significant contribution toward the promotion and provision of oral health care in Mississippi communities that need access to dental care; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend the efforts of such entities as the Sullivan-Schein Corporation for its endeavor to address dental decay, which is a significant health problem in Mississippi that disproportionately affects rural and low-income families:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That Sullivan-Schein Corporation is commended for their support and generosity upon donating a mobile dental unit to the State of Mississippi for purposes of providing oral health care services for underprivileged citizens in Mississippi communities.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Sullivan-Schein Corporation, the Mississippi Dental Association, the American Dental Association, the Mississippi State Dental Director and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.