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V O L . X X V I I N O. V § 2 M A R C H 8 , 2 0 2 1 8 F RO M T H E S P O N S O R S N ortheast Delta Dental has an important role to play addressing social justice and racial equity in our communities and our fellow human beings. We developed a strategic ini- tiative to embed equity, inclusion and diversity into everything we do. With this in mind, we con- tinue to develop a diverse board and workforce that will provide broad perspectives and enrich our ability to find innovative solu- tions to solving the problem of racial inequity in oral health. We continue to forge relationships with communities in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont by partnering with them and follow- ing their lead to develop sustain- able, community-based solutions. We work collaboratively toward policy solutions and public/pri- vate partnerships that support and further this work, like expanding the dental benefits for adults on MaineCare. Our organizational 2020 racial diversity initiatives focused pri- marily in three areas: communica- tions, board diversity, and employee education. We're implementing ways to make our communications with stakeholders more inclusive, we're making a more focused effort to increase diversity among our board members, and we're offering diversity training to our employ- ees. ese are areas of potential improvement for all businesses and nonprofits. At Northeast Delta Dental, we believe that everyone deserves a healthy smile. Because we are committed to providing oral health care that is inclusive, we began considering how we could positively impact inequities in oral health. We found that much social science research has been done on the presence of health disparities in communities of color, but less has focused on the drivers of dis- parity, making it a complex prob- lem to address. Experts agree that racism exacerbates health inequi- ties in historically marginalized communities and that solutions to addressing these challenges rest on putting the lived experiences of these communities at the center of any possible intervention. We also learned from scholars and prac- titioners in the field that operat- ing on preconceived notions of a community's priorities without testing those assumptions may fail to achieve any sustained impact on oral health disparities. e strategy we ultimately employ will reflect community-centered priorities for improving oral health. Northeast Delta Dental Foundation continues to fund pro- grams increasing oral health access to underserved people in Maine. In 2020, we invested $889,000 in Maine oral health programs — $169,000 awarded as grants by the Foundation, and $720,000 to support key initiatives related to expanding access. We welcome these opportunities for a deep- ened commitment to oral health equity and inclusion at every level of our company, because everyone deserves a healthy smile! Tom Raffio President and CEO, Northeast Delta Dental H ow can we be better? Do bet- ter? ese were important questions in the minds of our found- ing partners when Preti Flaherty first opened its doors. ey wanted to break traditions and do things differently. ey wanted to be better than the status-quo. And so, bold- ness, integrity, inclusion, innovation, and collaboration became principles that our Firm put into practice and have followed each day since. We formed our Diversity Committee many years ago to reflect our core belief that diverse back- grounds, identities, cultures and perspectives enrich our communi- ties as well as our approach to the practice of law. One of the things I've cherished regarding our firm is the spirit and resolve with which we approach issues. When we say we're going to do something, we do it. We have an engaged group of lawyers and staff who created our Diversity Action Plan and actively develop new opportunities for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. As an industry, we must make progress regarding diversity. In the United States, only 14% of lawyers are people of color. Only 5% are African-American. Men outnumber women 2-to-1. Our clients and stra- tegic partners, as well as the cities and towns where we practice are becom- ing increasingly diverse. e more we represent and advance this cultural vibrancy, the better attorneys we are for our clients and the better contrib- utors we are to our communities. Our principles of inclusiveness are inherent in our recruitment and promotion policies. In recent years, 52% of our new attorneys have been women. Two months ago, we promoted three attorneys to partner – all of them women. We're also honored to now be part of the Maine Summer Diversity Associate Program, recruiting a diverse pool of first-year law stu- dents from across the country to work for various Maine law firms and private companies. What we do outside our walls matters too. Preti is proud to be a founding member of the Maine Justice Foundation's Racial Justice Fund. We also made a long-term commitment to our program "Actions. Now. For Change." in com- munities across New England. Our efforts in Maine led us to partner with the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project. We currently have a dozen Preti attorneys working pro bono with ILAP's Immigrant Children's Project, helping seventeen immigrant children find a path to citizenship in the United States. As I look at where we started, where we are, and where we're going, I'm humbled and I'm hopeful. I know we have work to do. I also believe that meaningful change can begin to take place when we work together. I've seen it firsthand in the efforts of so many partnerships and organizations. It's been a privilege for Preti to be part of some of these important efforts, and we look for- ward to deepening our relationships with our partners, enriching our culture, and continuing to ask the questions: How can we be better? How can we do better? David Van Slyke Managing Partner, Preti Flaherty How can we be better? Racial disparities in oral health

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