Most successful public oral health programs depend on multiple types and sources of support. Partners are essential to success. They can:

• Help you better understand local needs and assets
• Build the necessary political will (advocacy and ownership) for funding and establishing your program
• Identify and track patient eligibility for services
• Gain consent for services and schedule appointments
• Communicate with other health providers or support services
• Acquire feedback from patients and the community to evaluate the program
• Market and sustain the program over time.

Partnerships are particularly important when resources are limited, unpredictable or threatened, and when oral health needs of underserved populations are not very visible or important to politicians or policymakers. What partners do you currently have and what groups or individuals could potentially be partners? Create a checklist of potential partners, like the one provided here, to fit your own situation.

View the following resources for more information on forming and sustaining coalitions.

• Rural Smiles Oral Health Resource Manual - Chapter 2. Mobilizing Community Assets for Collaborative Efforts
• CDC Oral Health Coalition Framework (PDF)
• DentaQuest Foundation's Electronic Compendium of Resources for Building Oral Health Coalitions