Maryland Dental Action Coalition

What Maryland Dental Action Coalition does

Maryland Dental Action Coalition (MDAC) is the state of Maryland's leading non-governmental oral health policy and advocacy organization, operating as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Columbia, Maryland with 1-10 employees. Founded in 2007 by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as the Dental Action Committee in response to the death of 12-year-old Deamonte Driver from an untreated dental infection, MDAC became an independent nonprofit in 2010. The organization leads the development and monitoring of the five-year Maryland Oral Health Plan and runs a portfolio of programs targeting Maryland Medicaid beneficiaries, pregnant women, and children.

MDAC's core programs include the Maryland Oral Health Plan (the state's strategic framework for oral health improvement), the Medicaid Adult Dental Coverage Program (supporting the 2023 expansion of comprehensive dental benefits to adult Medicaid beneficiaries through the Maryland Healthy Smiles Dental Program), Medicaid Postpartum Dental Coverage (extending dental benefits 12 months postpartum), Healthy Teeth Healthy Kids (a children's oral health initiative with the Maryland Academy of Pediatric Dentistry), the My Reason to Smile outreach campaign, and the Community Water Fluoridation education resources. Supporting resources include an Advocacy Toolkit, monthly newsletters with archives spanning 2017-2026, and a free coalition membership program offering access to convenings and standing committees on literacy, education, advocacy, and the Maryland Oral Health Plan.

MDAC's business model is grant and donation funded, with revenue derived from institutional funders including CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, Maryland Department of Health, United Healthcare, Johns Hopkins Health Plans, HealthEfficient, Maryland Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Abell Foundation, Blaustein Foundation, Schattner Foundation, and Stulman Foundation. Membership is free, and the organization does not sell commercial products or services. Distribution occurs through social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram), email newsletters, the website's resource library, paid social campaigns, and in-person advocacy visits and community events. CEO Mary C. Backley leads a small staff that has successfully advocated for measurable oral health outcomes, including Maryland achieving 93.3% community water fluoridation coverage compared to the 72.3% national average.

Name

Maryland Dental Action Coalition

Legal name

Maryland Dental Action Coalition

Website

https://mdac.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Maryland Dental Action Coalition is Maryland's leading non-governmental oral health policy and advocacy organization, working to improve oral health for all Marylanders through policy advocacy, coalition building, and the development and monitoring of the five-year Maryland Oral Health Plan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLABAAAF

Community & Public Health Dentistry Clinics (FQHC/School-Based/Nonprofit)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Dental Care Services/General & Family Dentistry

Keywords

• Oral health advocacy
• Public health policy
• Dental coalition
• Healthcare policy advocacy
• Community oral health

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: MDAC operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Their work is funded through grants from foundations and government entities, as well as individual donations. While membership is free, contributions to support activities are appreciated.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Maryland Dental Action Coalition (MDAC) is the state's leading non-governmental oral health policy and advocacy organization. It develops and monitors the five-year Maryland Oral Health Plan, advocates for expanded Medicaid dental coverage, operates targeted public-health initiatives (e.g., Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids, My Reason to Smile), publishes educational resources and a monthly newsletter, and runs a free coalition membership program convening dental and non-dental professionals.

Product overview

Maryland Dental Action Coalition (MDAC) operates as a state-level oral health policy and advocacy organization rather than a technology product company. Its portfolio consists of collaborative programs, public health initiatives, and educational resources aimed at improving oral health equity in Maryland. The core offerings include the five-year Maryland Oral Health Plan (MOHP) as the strategic framework, paired with targeted initiatives like the Medicaid Adult Dental Coverage Program and the My Reason to Smile Campaign for outreach. MDAC also provides the Advocacy Toolkit as a resource for stakeholders, distributes newsletters for communication, and offers a free membership program. These programs work together to advance MDAC's mission of increasing oral health promotion, disease prevention, education, advocacy, and access to oral health care across Maryland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maryland Oral Health Plan (MOHP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Maryland has 93.3% fluoridated water coverage compared to 72.3% national average
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Maryland Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government agency and key partner in developing and implementing oral health policies. MDAC works with MDH on the Maryland Oral Health Plan, Medicaid programs, and statewide oral health initiatives.
• Maryland Academy of Pediatric DentistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association of pediatric dentists partnering on children's oral health initiatives including the Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids campaign.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CareQuest Institute for Oral Health: National nonprofit foundation focused on improving oral health equity through grantmaking, research, and policy advocacy. Direct funder and strategic partner of MDAC; comparable mission and advocacy operating model at a national scale.
• DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement: National organization focused on oral health equity through benefit administration, philanthropy, and advocacy. Overlaps with MDAC on Medicaid dental coverage expansion and oral health literacy, but operates nationally as a payer-adjacent entity.
• American Dental Association (ADA): National professional association for dentists that engages in oral health policy advocacy, public education, and access initiatives. Overlaps with MDAC's mission on dental workforce, coverage, and prevention advocacy but operates at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Delta Dental Institute: National research and advocacy arm of the Delta Dental Plans Association, focused on oral health research, policy, and community impact. Comparable to MDAC's policy advocacy function but backed by a major dental benefits carrier.

Direct peers

• Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD): National network of state dental directors that supports state-level oral health program development and policy. Highly comparable to MDAC's role as a state-level policy convener, with ASTDD serving the analogous function across multiple states.
• Virginia Oral Health Coalition: State-level oral health coalition serving Virginia with analogous advocacy, education, and coalition-building activities. Closest geographic and structural peer to MDAC—similar model, similar mission, adjacent territory.
• Maryland Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Maryland chapter of professional pediatric dentists partnering with MDAC on children's oral health initiatives (e.g., Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids). Direct strategic collaborator and the closest professional-association peer in MDAC's network.

Emerging players

• Families USA: National nonprofit health advocacy organization focused on health care access and equity, with overlapping work on Medicaid coverage expansion. Comparable advocacy operating model though MDAC is dental-specific and state-focused.
• Children's Dental Health Project: National nonprofit advocating for policies that improve children's oral health, particularly for underserved populations. Directly comparable to MDAC's Healthy Teeth, Healthy Kids initiative and pediatric advocacy focus.

Others

• Maryland Department of Health - Office of Oral Health: State government agency administering oral health programs in Maryland, including the Maryland Healthy Smiles Dental Program. Core strategic partner of MDAC; not a competitor but a closely aligned government counterpart in executing oral health policy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DentalAction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maryland-dental-action-coalition
• Xx.com/MDAC01

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maryland Dental Action Coalition