WELCOME to theHEALTHY MOUTH HEALTHY BODY INITIATIVE!
Representing her “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body 2020” campaign to over 80 Rotarians, Dr. Samaha shared startling facts about the direct correlation between oral health and general physical health.
According to Larry Boyles, Dr Samaha was equipped with stunning “before” and “after” photos of the many people she has helped to restore their general health through attention to oral health. Dr. Samaha left a powerful message with all in attendance.
Thanks, Dr. Samaha, for sharing your powerful story with us!
Despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world, home to some of the most advanced medicine and technology, America is suffering from a drastic decline in the overall health of its citizens. Chronic diseases like heart disease, obesity, diabetes and various forms of cancer are becoming more and more prevalent, while lawmakers DEBATE over how to address it.
In an effort to see this dynamic change, and fueled by her passion for total body wellness through complete health dentistry, Dr. Lisa Marie Samaha has launched a unique initiative here in the Hampton Roads area: Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body 2020. The goal of this movement is to increase the health and wellness of 20,000 people by the year 2020, by increasing awareness of the link between Oral Health and Total Body Wellness.
By taking a proactive approach to health care, we can arrest the decline in our health, saving billions of dollars and millions of lives.
Our Vision
To enhance the awareness of total body wellness by partnering with 2,000 medical practitioners on the Peninsula throughout the year 2015. Our community will be practicing better self-care based on its increased awareness of the life-enhancing connection between oral health and total health.
Our Mission
To increase the health and wellness of 20,000 people on our Peninsula by the year 2020 through the collaboration of local organizations supporting the integration of Dental Health into Total Health.
Bringing the movement back to her own community
Dr. Lisa Marie Samaha, a nationally recognized cosmetic and reconstructive dentist, has created beautiful, healthy smiles for Hampton Roads since opening her practice in 1982.
Dr. Samaha and her exceptional team have assisted in the creation of a unique practice which attracts a clientele who appreciate their comprehensive, individualized and holistic approach to dental care. She and her team enjoy partnering with their patients on the rewarding journey towards “BEST” dental health and its favorable consequence – improved well-being and Total Body Wellness.
Dr. Samaha is internationally published and esteemed as an educator and top clinician. She is respected as an expert on the mouth/body connection. After three decades of research and development, and countless seminars for various medical professionals throughout the world, Dr. Lisa Marie Samaha is bringing this movement back to her own Hampton Roads Community. Joining forces with local media outlets, various non-profit organizations, local universites and the top medical facilities in our area, she has launched an initiative that will be felt by every inch of our community.
“The mouth and face are highly accessible parts of the body, sensitive to and able to reflect changes occurring internally. The mouth is the major portal of entry to the body and is equipped with formidable mechanisms for sensing the environment and defending against toxins or invading pathogens. In the event that the integrity of the oral tissues is compromised, the mouth can become a source of disease or pathological processes affecting other parts of the body.”
David Satcher MD, PhD
Former U.S. Surgeon General
“I am a physician, not a dentist. However, I work closely with dentists and their teams to bridge the oral-systemic gap and to provide my patients with an optimal level of care. Do not ever underestimate the critical role dental health professionals play in the overall health of your patients, even in saving lives.”
Charles Whitney, MD
“A movement has started in healthcare and dentistry called Complete Health Dentistry. It will soon be considered odd not to be using family history and lifestyle questions when reviewing a patient’s health history and assessing their personal risk factors. It will be common practice to utilize tools to test for genetic markers, and communicate a patient’s treatment plan through the broader lens of the oral systemic link and their complete health profile. This is what we do on a daily basis within our practice.”
Lisa Marie Samaha, DDS, FAGD
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”
Henry Ford
The goal of this initiative, to increase the health and wellness of 20,000 people by the year 2020, is one that Dr. Samaha is determined to achieve. With the support of other local medical professionals in her community, this evolution of healthcare as we know it will save countless lives, and trigger a movement that reaches every corner of the world.
The Connection
Thousands of scientific research studies world-wide have connected periodontal diseases with total body disease including:
- Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Kidney Disease
- Lung Disease
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Dementia
- Oral, Colon, Prostate, Blood, Breast, Kidney, Lung and Pancreatic Cancers
- Infertility
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Pre-term Birth and other Complications During Pregnancy
The Say Ahh! Movement
“Say Ahh,” the world’s first documentary on oral health, takes an informative, patient-friendly approach to explaining the oral-systemic connection. The film follows the true stories of six families as they discover the real-life impact that their oral health is having on their lives. The message: Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body.
“Say Ahh” is an attempt to raise awareness and connect the dots for the medical community and public alike, so that Our Healthy Mouth Healthy Body Initiative will achieve its goals of a healthier, more vibrant community for all.
For more information, please feel to take a look at these information sheets:
Healthy Mouth Healthy Body – NextLevelPractice – The Facts Are… (PDF)
Periodontal Disease Risks By Percentage (PDF)
Reclaim Your Smile (PDF)
Connecting the Dots Between Dental Health and Total Body Health (PDF)
Pregnancy, Healthy Mind, Healthy Body, Healthy Baby (PDF)
Want to Sponsor or Volunteer for the Healthy Mouth Healthy Body Initiative?
Download our sponsorship form or volunteer survey and fill it out. We appreciate your interest in the initiative.
Sponsorship Form (PDF)
Volunteer Survey (PDF)