Meharry Medical College has announced a free three-part virtual Health Summit series to reimagine and advance health equity, particularly related to oral health.

The first with keynote conversations by Meharry President James E.K. Hildreth, Ph.D., M.D., and NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, M.D., among other national leaders, will be held Jan. 27, 10 a.m.-noon.

Through open dialogue, the Summit will encourage stakeholders and health experts to develop a community-centered approach that will prioritize prevention of disease, elevate racial justice and equity and eliminate COVID-19 health care disparities among minority groups across the country. Featured speakers will discuss health integration and barriers to achieving whole-person and community-informed care that will integrate oral and systemic health.

In addition to a keynote address by Hildreth and Fauci, the Summit will include a panel, moderated by journalist Monique Pressley. Panelists include:

• Linda Keene Solomon: CEO, STEMbiotic Communities Inc. Solomon is a senior executive with 30 years of leadership, managerial, and board director experience serving the corporate, government and nonprofit sectors.

• Jeanne Craig Sinkford, D.D.S., Ph.D., D.Sc., FACD, FICD, Senior Scholar-in-Residence Emerita American Dental Education Association and Dean Emerita, Howard University. Sinkford is a nationally and internationally renowned dental educator, administrator, researcher and clinician.

• Charles E. Moore, M.D., FAACE: founder/president, HEALing Community Center and chief of service, Dept. of Otolaryngology, Grady Health System. Moore has a longstanding commitment to the training and development of learners from all backgrounds. His research focus has been in the investigation of factors involved in health care disparity with a particular focus on head and neck cancer incidence in medically underserved communities.

“These conversations have never been more important,” says Hildreth, an infectious disease expert. “COVID-19 has only illuminated the gulf of health disparities that exist between majority and minority communities across our country, particularly in rural communities. Over the last year, we have further focused our collective efforts on addressing these disparities, and this Summit will provide our community with the opportunity to engage around how best to make long lasting changes that will impact the lives of all people.”

The Summit’s second session, “Motivating Action,” is scheduled for March and will focus on the importance of oral health on the pathway to overall health and well-being.

The third session, “Shaping Action for a Different Future,” is scheduled for June and will focus on a wide range of medical, dental and public health topics.

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