Dr. Zachary Brian Named Program Director of NCOHC
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Dr. Zachary Brian, an experienced public health administrator and dentist, has been named Program Director for the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation’s North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative (NCOHC). Dr. Brian, who started in the position on Dec. 3, will focus on developing partnerships to address disparities in access to oral health care in North Carolina.
Prior to joining the NCOHC, Dr. Brian served as Dental Director for Federally Qualified Health Centers in Michigan and Connecticut. As Dental Director, Dr. Brian focused on expanding access to oral health care, improving integration between dental and medical services, expanding school-based dental care for underserved children, and increasing collaboration between public health centers and providers. As Program Director for the NCOHC, Dr. Brian assumes leadership of integral efforts on the frontlines of statewide initiatives to achieve equitable access to oral health care services in both prevention and treatment.
“I was raised in rural Kentucky, and I know firsthand the challenges facing oral health equity and access, particularly in the southern United States,” said Dr. Brian, who earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Louisville. “Joining NCOHC, an organization at the forefront of oral health equity and access, was an easy decision for me.”
The NCOHC was established in 2013 by the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation to organize partners across the state to improve the oral health status of all North Carolinians. The organization is supported by funding partners like the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, the DentaQuest Foundation, the Duke Endowment, and, previously, the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust.
“The North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative is an integral part of our mission to advance affordable and sustainable health services to improve the health of all North Carolinians,” said Anne Thomas, President and CEO of the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Brian to the team, and are excited by his vision to advance health equity and access to oral health care throughout the state.”
Under Dr. Brian’s leadership, in 2019, the NCOHC has identified strengthening community relationships, capacity building, and public education, among other initiatives, as strategic priorities.
“The NCOHC has already accomplish so much, and yet much remains to be done,” said Dr. Brian. “I look forward to building upon a foundation of success to further establish the NCOHC as a leading voice for oral health equity, care delivery, and access by disadvantaged populations in North Carolina.”
[button link=”#https://foundationhli.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/NCOHC-Press-Release-December-2018-Final-1.pdf” type=”big” color=”purple” newwindow=”yes”] Press Release [/button]
For more information on the North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative, or to get involved, please visit OralHealthNC.org or contact Suzanne Martin, Director of Outreach & Engagement, at (919) 821-0485 x233 or suzanne.martin@foundationhli.org.