Your voice matters.

With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, Michigan Oral Health Coalition members have an important opportunity to engage with candidates and help ensure oral health remains part of our state's policy conversations.

Whether you attend a candidate forum, participate in a community event or send an email, asking thoughtful questions and sharing your experiences can help candidates better understand the oral health needs of the communities they hope to represent.

Not sure where to begin? Here are five questions to consider.

Five Oral Health Issues Worth Asking

1. Affordability
   What policies would you support to help Michigan individuals and families afford preventive and restorative dental care?
   
2. Adult Medicaid Dental
   What is your position on protecting Michigan's Adult Medicaid Dental benefit and maintaining access to care for low-income residents?
   
3. Community Water Fluoridation
   Where do you stand on protecting community water fluoridation as a cost-effective public health measure?
   
4. Oral Health Workforce
   Would you support expanding loan repayment incentives, dental hygiene and dental therapy training opportunities, and other programs to address dental workforce shortages?
   
5. Dental Safety Net
   What steps would you support to strengthen Michigan's dental safety net for people who are uninsured, underinsured or enrolled in Medicaid?

Three Simple Steps to Get Involved

Step 1: Find your candidates.

Visit the Michigan Voter Information Center to view your sample ballot and identify candidates running to represent your community.


Step 2: Choose one or two questions.

Select the issues most relevant to your community, profession or personal experiences. You don't need to ask every question!


Step 3: Start a conversation.

Attend a candidate event, ask a question at a public forum or send a brief email to the candidate's campaign. Consider including a personal experience that illustrates why the issue matters.


Download the Complete Election Engagement Guide

MOHC has developed a resource with additional background on these five policy issues, suggested questions, a customizable candidate email template and helpful reminders for nonpartisan engagement.

MOHC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. This resource supports voter education and issue-based engagement and does not endorse any candidate or political party.