The Hawaii Dental Hui and its affiliated advisory team at CSI-Hawaii.org play a significant role in advancing oral healthcare, improving access to care and advocating for the underserved in Hawaii.
Organizations and Affiliation
- Hawaii Dental Hui: Formed in 2019, this coalition of over local frontline dentists accepted the leadership role for creating a dental program at the Convoy of Hope Homeless outreach event at Aloha Stadium. They have since been providing clinical and education support in numerous oral health care events on Oahu and neighbor islands. They have developed and deployed Preventive dental programs in various homeless shelters, pop-up health fairs, and oral health support for various nonprofit organizations. Dental Hui has grown to include members of our integrated healthcare system that includes physicians, mental health professionals, health care system administrators community service leaders and a group of lifestyle medicine experts.
2. CSI-Hawaii: Established in 2021, CSI-Hawaii is a branch of the Dental Hui. It comprises national best-practice oral health experts and public health thought leaders who provide guidance, technical support and expertise to the local dental coalition.
Key Hui Leaders and Kuleana:
- Dr. Russel Kim DDS (Hui Co-Founder and Chair of Prevention )
- Dr. Don Sand DDS ( Hui Co-Founder and Chair of Access)
- Dr. Joe Mayer DDS(Chair of Government Relations and Policy)
- Dr. Jason Ching DDA(Chair of Dental Digital Technology)
- Sonja Sand OT, Diplomate Lifestyle Medicine (Chair Wellness Medicine)
- Carolyn Chung-Ung RDA(Chair of Dental Hygiene)
- Dr. Penelope Dodson DDS, MPH, MS ( Communications Director)
- Kumu Kanoa Switzer (Native Hawaiian Cultural Advisor)
Values and Initiatives: The Dental Hui and CSI-Hawaii are guided by a set of values and initiatives, including:
1. Prioritizing Underserved Populations: Their primary focus is on proactive projects that benefit underserved, vulnerable, uninsured, and homeless individuals in Hawaii. Some Hui dentists take some Medicaid patients and some would like to take more patients. Since 2022, the dental hui and its medical or community partners have been bringing a preventive dental program to 3 houseless villages: Pu’uhonua O Waianae, Hui Mahi ai Aina and the Waimanalo Emergency Shelter.
- Preventive Dentistry: They recognize preventive dentistry as the most valuable approach to oral health. The Dentists in the Hui recognize that the best ROI is on prevention is to start now and to as early in a child’s life as possible. It is recognized that in order for Hawaii to invest in significant preventive programs that Preventive dentistry” must be redefined, redesigned, constructed and implemented statewide in all preschools, charter schools, and K-12.
3. Capacity Improvement: They aim to resolve Hawaii’s dental capacity shortage by innovatively improving systems and exploring alternative models of care. The Hui recognizes that system reform will require all the stakeholders to come to the table with incentives to improve the access to the underserved.
New technology driven platforms are allowing new and innovative models of mobile deployment, telehealth tools and innovative delivery pilot programs.
4. Oral Health Integration and Access Advocacy: They support initiatives that integrate oral health into whole body medical care as well as mental healthcare. Dental Hui programs strive to integrate trauma informed into all of their dental care delivery protocols, procedures and policy. Two of the dentists in the Hui served on the board of trustees for two Hospitals, Castle and Kahuku Medical Center. Comprehensive healthcare systems which include integration of oral health into hospitals, FQHCs, nonprofits, rural healthcare hospitals and multidisciplinary mobile dental delivery systems. private practice, public health and the dental specialists. Several of the Hawaii Dental Hui are some of the 2019 founding members of HOHC, Hawaii Oral Health Coalition a grass roots group that lead the charge to reinstated the adult Dental Medicaid benefit is 2022. Hui members and partners have helped introduce, writing language and lobby 4 oral health bills that support developing access, preventive dental programs and health equity.
5. Youth Education and Workforce Development: The Dental Hui actively backs local youth educational and healthcare workforce development programs. The Dental Hui are thought leaders and advisers for various educational strategic plans to create early career development exposure for our local and Hawaiian youth in order to grow our Kama’aina future healthcare workforces.
6. Community Outreach: They contribute to Hawaii outreach projects by mobilizing volunteer dental professionals and providing necessary supplies and equipment. The Dental Hui believes that any support must only happen under the oversight and partnership with the existing community services organizations.
7. Transparency: They maintain full transparency in their collaborations and partnerships with all collaborators, partners and stakeholders. Dental Hui strives to grow communication and relationships with all oral health stakeholders in Hawaii aligned with the same values and the shared goal for improving the access for the underserved. The Dental Hui’s vision is not only about increasing access but have a goal to bring the highest quality of care possible.
8. Study Clubs and Think-Tanks: The Hui promotes the creation and support for study club groups and think-tanks for collaborative problem-solving within the dental community locally, nationally and internationally.
9. Cultural Sensitivity: The Dental Hui strives to integrate Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and local values, culture, and community protocols into their alternative dental programs. The Dental Hui is building a cultural advisory board as well as creating a statewide oral health Kupuna council.
10. Preventive Whole Body Health and Wellness: They support all current preventive health wellness programs that aim to prevent, reverse and mitigate chronic diseases. The Hui has been participating in many community service health fairs as the lead in the preventive oral health component.
Affiliations with Other Organizations: Many members of the Dental Hui are also part of national and state-level oral health organizations, including:
- NNOHA (National Network of Oral Health Access)
- HDA/ADA (Hawaii Dental Association/American Dental Association)
- AAPHD (American Association of Dental Public Health)
- ASTDD (Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors)
- OPEN (Oral Health Congressional Advocacy branch of CareQuest)
The Dental Hui and CSI-Hawaii, along with their dedicated members, are striving to make substantial contributions to improving oral health and healthcare access in Hawaii, particularly for those in need. Their commitment to preventive care, community engagement, and collaboration with other organizations reflects their dedication to finding innovative and resourceful approaches to improve the oral health disparity in Hawai’i.
CSI-Hawaii Advisory Team: The CSI-Hawaii Advisory team includes the following members:
- Dr. Bobby Russell, DDS, (MPH), MPA, CPM, FACD, FICD, elite Public Health Consultant
- Mary Foley, MDPHD, RDH, ED, President Medicaid/Medicare/CHIP Association
- Dr. Brian Novy, DDS, Professor at Harvard’s Dental School
- Alan MacPhee former CEO of KMC
- Dr. John Frachella, DDS, preventive dentist visionary
- Dr. Waichi Chan, MD, Cardiologist and Lifestyle Medicine Expert
- Dr. McAllister, DMD, FAGD Castelaz President AA of Mobile Dentistry
- Chris Wilson MS, SEO expert, grant writer
- Joshua Subhash, ED Restoration Health
- Dr. Lisa Beardsley-Hardy PHD, EDU,
- Jennifer Viriato, MBA, Analysist
- Nancy Partika RN, MPH
These individuals bring a wealth of expertise and experience to CSI-Hawaii, contributing to the Dental Hui’s organization’s efforts to improve oral health and healthcare access in Hawaii. Their diverse backgrounds and qualifications make them valuable advisors to frontline oral health programs in the community, FQHC’s, rural hospitals, private practice dentists, which helping to shape and guide the organization’s initiatives and goals.
The Dental Hui celebrates the passing of SB1035 with the Health Chairs and Senator Joy San Buenaventura. This bill will exempt the GET tax on Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare procedures and support dentists and physicians who work with the underserved.