February 10, 2021
CARY—North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced Executive Order #193 on Tuesday, February 9, 2021, formally incorporating dentists into the COVID-19 vaccine workforce.
“Many dentists across our state are ready and willing to help do their part in addressing this pandemic,” said Dr. Zachary Brian, director of the North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative (NCOHC), a program of the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation (FHLI). “Getting the vaccine to as many people, as quickly and safely as possible, is something dentists are uniquely positioned to do.”
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, NCOHC identified dentists as a valuable component of an interdisciplinary approach to bringing the spread of the virus under control.
“Our state can benefit from having every trained, qualified health professional working together to help meet the challenges of efficiently, effectively vaccinating North Carolinians,” said Ben Popkin, FHLI’s political strategist.
Cooper’s executive order allows a broad range of health care professionals to join the vaccination workforce, extending measures the administration has put in place to combat the pandemic.
“The North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative is pleased to have worked with Governor Cooper’s office to help finalize this executive order,” said Brian. “We appreciate the efforts they and others took to make this happen.”
With Cooper’s executive order, North Carolina joins more than 20 states in including dentists in their COVID-19 vaccination workforces, according to the American Dental Association.
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About FHLI’s North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative
The North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative,a program of the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation, works to advance systems-level changes, improving the overall health and well-being of all North Carolinians by increasing access and equity to oral health care. NCOHC seeks to influence policy, and through collaboration, listening, and knowledge-sharing, NCOHC works to provide maximum impact in achieving optimal oral health care for all North Carolina communities.
For more information, contact:
Marni Schribman, Director of Communications & Public Relations
Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation
Marni.schribman@foundationhli.org
919-259-4547
