Indiana Oral Health Coalition

Mission

The Indiana Oral Health Coalition is a collective voice of individuals, groups, organizations, and businesses working together to promote, protect and provide for the oral health of the residents of Indiana.

Purpose

The purpose of the Indiana Oral Health Coalition shall be to promote, protect and provide for the oral health of the residents of Indiana within their communities through policy and action. The Indiana Oral Health Coalition operates under these guiding principles:

• Develop long and short-term goals to promote, protect and provide for oral health and strategies to achieve goals.
• Encourage collaboration among all interested in improving oral health.
• Inform the public about oral health related issues.
• Ensure adequate sustainable funding for programs and services to promote, protect and provide for oral health.
• Review policies and actions to ensure they are evidence-based.

Eligibility

Membership shall be open to any individual or organization (group, organization, or business) that supports the Indiana Oral Health Coalition’s mission and purpose. Membership is broadly defined to promote greater participation and inclusiveness.

Types of Membership

The types of membership shall include standing organizational members, other organizational members, and individual members.

Standing organizational members:

• Indiana Department of Health
• Indiana Board of Dentistry
• Indiana University School of Dentistry
• Indiana Dental Association
• Indiana Dental Hygienists' Association
• Indiana Dental Assistants Association
• Medicaid (Indiana

Other organizational members

Individual Members

Membership Responsibilities

Members shall actively participate in the Coalition in the following ways:

• Attend at least one Coalition meeting per year
• Participate in a minimum of one Coalition activity per year
• Serve as a resource or advisor to the Coalition, a committee, or an activity

Forfeiture of Membership

A member may forfeit membership for failure to maintain eligibility, failure to fulfill responsibilities, or failure to follow the “Structures and Guidelines” of the Indiana Oral Health Coalition.

Chair

The Chair shall be the principal officer of the Indiana Oral Health Coalition. He/she shall serve a two-year term and will preside over the regularly scheduled quarterly Indiana Oral Health Coalition meetings.

Vice Chair

The Vice Chair shall serve a two-year term and will carry out the powers, duties and responsibilities of the Chair in the absence of the Chair, and other duties and responsibilities delegated to him or her by the Chair.

Lead Agency

The Lead Agency for the Indiana Oral Health Coalition shall be the Oral Health Program at the Indiana Department of Health.

Coalition Director

The Coalition Director for the Indiana Oral Health Coalition shall be the State Oral Health Director in the Oral Health Program at the Indiana Department of Health.

Administrative Assistant

The Administrative Assistant for the Indiana Oral Health Coalition shall be the administrative assistant for the State Oral Health Director. The administrative assistant will assist with the operation of the Coalition, at the sole direction of the Coalition Director.

The Lead Agency, Coalition Director, and Administrative Assistant shall be responsible for:

• Scheduling the quarterly meetings that are hosted by the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), and providing Agendas for review prior to these quarterly meetings.
• Recording the Minutes of the quarterly meetings that are hosted by the IDOH, and submitting these minutes for approval by the Coalition, as well as maintaining the records of these minutes.
• Maintaining Attendance Records for the quarterly meetings hosted by the IDOH.
• Maintaining the current Official Membership List and updating the list annually to reconfirm membership.

Leadership

Coalition meetings shall be led by the Chair or by the Vice Chair. Consensus in decision making will be sought. If consensus cannot be achieved, decisions will be made by a majority vote of the members present.

Meeting Frequency

Regular meetings of the Coalition shall occur quarterly, one of which shall be the Annual Meeting, on dates and at locations to be determined by the Coalition Director. Committee meetings are held at the discretion of the Chairperson of each committee.

Notice of Meetings

Written notice of regularly scheduled quarterly Coalition meetings shall be emailed to each member at least 14 days in advance of each meeting.

Purpose of Committees

Committees can be formed by the Indiana Oral Health Coalition to help the Coalition carry out its mission and purpose.

Formation of Committees

The Indiana Oral Health Coalition can form committees by a majority vote (weighted) at any regularly scheduled quarterly meeting of the Coalition.

Conduct of Committees

Each committee shall have broad latitude in how it conducts its business.

• Each committee shall select a Chairperson who will be responsible for reporting the business of the committee to the Coalition.
• Any activity proposed by a committee, to be conducted under the auspices of the IOHC, should be discussed by the Coalition membership present at any of the regularly schedules quarterly Coalition meetings before being implemented.

Dissolution of Committees

The Indiana Oral Health Coalition can dissolve committees by a majority vote (weighted) at any regularly scheduled quarterly meeting of the Coalition.

Existing Committees

Committees associated with Strategic Oral Health Plan (SOHP) - There is a committee associated with each of the eleven goals in the SOHP.

Ad Hoc Committees

The Indiana Oral Health Coalition may form Ad Hoc Committees based on projects and needs.

As outlined in these Guidelines, all members are eligible to vote for the following:

• Adoption of the Minutes
• Substantive Issues that may come before the Coalition
• Election of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Coalition
• Amendments to the Bylaws of the Indiana Oral Health Coalition (Organizational Structure and Guidelines)
• Formation / Dissolution of Committees
• Other Substantive Issues

Majority Rules

Decisions shall be made upon majority vote, either non-weighted or weighted, of the members present. Adoption of the minutes shall be made upon simple majority vote (non-weighted) of the members present at any quarterly meeting, by voice vote. The election of the Chair and Vice Chair shall be made upon majority vote (weighted) of the members present at the Annual Meeting, by signed ballot. The passage of Amendments shall be made upon majority vote (weighted) of the members present at the Annual Meeting, by signed ballot. The passage of Other Substantive Issues shall be made upon majority vote (weighted) of the members present at any quarterly meeting, by signed ballot.

Weighted Voting

All Substantive Issues shall be made by weighted majority vote using signed ballots, according to the following vote privileges:

• Standing organizational members - Each standing organizational member shall be entitled to 1 vote.
• Other organizational members - Each other organizational member shall be entitled to 1/2 vote.
• Individual members - Each individual member shall be entitled to 1/4 vote.

Methods of Voting

Voting shall occur by either voice vote or by signed ballots, depending on the criteria set forth previously. No individual may serve as representative for more than one organization, or simultaneously as representative for an organization and as an individual member.

Notice Requirements for Elections

Nominations for the Chair and Vice Chair shall open (6) six weeks prior to the Annual Meeting, and nominations shall be sent via email to the Coalition Director. They shall be closed no later than (4) four weeks prior to the Annual Meeting. The list of the nominees shall be sent to the membership via email no later than (3) three weeks prior to the Annual Meeting.

Any member of the Indiana Oral Health Coalition may propose amendment(s) to the "Structure and Guidelines." Proposed amendments shall be sent via email to the Coalition Director no later than (6) six weeks before the Annual Indiana Oral Health Coalition meeting. The Coalition Director shall ensure that any proposed amendments are sent via email to the Coalition membership no later than (3) three weeks before the same meeting. Again, for an amendment to pass it must receive a majority vote (weighted) of the Coalition members present at the Annual Meeting.