Media and Community Relations
Media Relations
To achieve our goal of increasing public awareness for dental health in the metro area, it is important to have an ongoing frequency of positive, relevant dental-related stories on all local Denver network television news programs (Channels 2,4,7,9,13) and in both daily newspapers (The Denver Rocky Mountain News, The Denver Post).
Media Training - Every other year, MDDS hosts an intensive seven-hour Media Training session facilitated by a locally renowned and seasoned media expert, Mr. Brad Bawmann of The Bawmann Group, to assist targeted and interested members in understanding the intricacies of media relations and crisis communications. Topics included access to care, amalgam safety, dental insurance/expense, mandatory continuing education, anesthesia in the dental office and unsupervised practice of dental hygienists. Mr. Bawmann said that MDDS is about 80% to 90% ahead of most organizations in our collective media communications, efforts and abilities. Another media training session is scheduled for fall of 2007.
Contact pr@mddsdentist.com to inquire about your possible participation.
Member Spokespersons - MDDS has assembled a list of members to assist us with critically expeditious responses to unsolicited media inquirers or to take a proactive stance locally on issues exploited by the national media. Using a turbo poll survey, MDDS gave members the opportunity to respond to a “Spokesperson Search” to identify those members who have an interest in speaking to the media or who offer a unique expertise. On-going consideration will be given to making additions to the list. This list enables staff to quickly identify willing experts and to quickly get them in touch with the appreciative reporter.
Contact pr@mddsdentist.com to inquire about participation as an MDDS spokesperson.
Media Database - Our Media Database (developed in 1999) has allowed MDDS to successfully communicate dental education campaigns, formal society announcements, press releases, position statements and interview advisories to the news media. It has also allowed for quick response to News Directors who failed to include the opinion/comment/professional assessment of an MDDS representative in a dental-related story. Updated regularly, the Media Database containsover 350 local and national contacts, complete with 316 e-mail addresses. Group e-mail address books have been set-up and used to deliver our news to specific newspapers/magazines by county and/or subject matter or to specific beat reporters, TV anchors, editors and TV news directors.
Community Relations
Dental Line 9 - Two to three time per year, 9 News hosts a Dental Line 9, which features 5 or 6 dentists who answer viewers’ questions via telephone hotlines. The segment is promoted throughout the afternoon and evening weekday broadcast or the morning weekend program. The popularity of Dental Line 9 has translated into Channel 9’s understanding of the growing need for information about proper oral health care and has helped us secure many dental related feature stories on their news programs. This project gives MDDS the unique forum and opportunity for direct community outreach.
Click here for more information on MDDS's community outreach programs.
