Frequently Asked Questions about CDHP's Future (2019)

As shared in our November 6, 2024 press release, the Children’s Dental Health Project will move its resources to Community Catalyst, a leading national consumer group on health care. With this shift to our longtime national partner, CDHP will end operations in December 2019 while ensuring an ongoing commitment to transforming the oral health system to better serve children and adults. This resource offers more details about this transition and may be updated.

1.  Why is CDHP closing?

The Children’s Dental Health Project was created 22 years ago as a "project" to be the voice of children seeking dental coverage. As a result of our leadership, 9 in 10 children now have dental coverage. More have gained greater access to dental care. We achieved our core, founding goal.

As we have worked to expand coverage for kids, we have also sought broader, holistic solutions for families. In recent years, CDHP widened its focus to support all families in reaching their dreams without dental disease holding them back. We have made significant in-roads to expand oral health access in pregnancy, for parents, and caregivers. Developing research and new policy approaches, CDHP has advanced efforts to integrate oral health across other issue areas. We have sought to help partners who work in health, education, and other human service systems embrace oral health as a critical component of overall health, and as part of effective strategies to reduce poverty and inequity.

CDHP staff and Board assessed these bold efforts, along with our mission, accomplishments, and the current environment. We also consulted with our closest partners. After much deliberation, we determined it is time to shift our role from being a niche advocacy organization to bolstering oral health work in broader health policy efforts.

2.  What is CDHP’s partnership with Community Catalyst?

The Children’s Dental Health Project is proud of our many successes, including building strong and diverse partnerships to address oral health in holistic policy solutions for families. There are more oral health advocates now than ever. We are thrilled that one of our long-time national partners, Community Catalyst, will acquire our extensive resources on oral health policy. They will carry our work forward through their broader agenda to improve the health care system for all children and families. CDHP’s legacy — creating a robust network of oral health advocates, expanding coverage for children, and building a foundation to meet families’ comprehensive health needs — will inform the next generation of oral health advocacy.

3.  When is CDHP closing?

On December 31, 2023 CDHP will cease operations. CDHP staff will be departing the organization on November 30. We will be working to advance our current policy agenda until the lights are turned off, and will work to ensure a smooth transfer of resources to our colleagues at Community Catalyst. Do not hesitate to contact CDHP regarding policy issues or resources through that time.

4.  Will your website and resources still be available? 

Our websites, www.cdhp.org and www.EndCavities.org, and CDHP materials will still be up and accessible after our closing date. As they are transferred to Community Catalyst, you will still be able to click through and download our online resources. If additional partner organizations assume other CDHP resources or certain aspects of our major projects, we will announce that information as soon as possible. Please check back for more details and contact information.

5.  What happens to your remaining funding?

While CDHP will close at the end of 2019, any remaining funding will be transferred or donated to Community Catalyst, the national partner acquiring our resources. CDHP will end the year with enough money to meet all its obligations. Our philanthropic, corporate, and individual donors can rest assured that all remaining funds will continue to support the mission to which they originally donated.

6.  Who can I contact with questions?

You can reach out to staff at CDHP as well as Community Catalyst.

• For media questions:
  • Amy Cotton, CDHP director of communications, 781-330-1632 or [email protected] through November 30. After Nov. 30, update this email to [email protected].
  • Kathy Melly, Community Catalyst director of communications, 617-275-2861 or [email protected].
     
• For questions about programs or policy/advocacy:
  • Contact the above staff or Meg Booth, 202-441-0299 or [email protected] through November 30. After Nov. 30, update this email to [email protected].
     
• To reach other CDHP staff after November 30, email [email protected]. This account will be monitored regularly throughout the December 2019 transition period.