Lolinda Turner, our School of Dental Medicine’s director of student success and engagement, was recently appointed to the State of Washington’s Commission on African American Affairs.
As a commissioner, Turner will play a pivotal role in advising the Governor, Legislature and state agencies regarding policy development and implementation, as well as working to establish relationships with local governments and private sector organizations that promote equal opportunity for African Americans.
We recently caught up with Ms. Turner to discuss her role as the only dental professional on the Commission. “Our youth and young adults need us,” explained Turner. “It is so important to reach that hand back and pull up the next person who seeks your guidance.”
How did this opportunity arise, and how did you first learn of your appointment?
I happened to be in a meeting with Manny Santiago, who was the Executive Director of the LGBTQ Commission for Washington State, about three years ago.
We were discussing the issues that the LGBTQ community deals with regarding oral health care. As a parent, I was very vocal about the issues my son, who is trans, was going through at the time, regarding his experiences when seeking medical care and or dental care.
It was during that meeting that Manny asked if I would apply for a position on the African American Commission board. I needed to be heard, he urged, convinced that I could be of great help. So, I applied and thought nothing else about it until I received a call from Governor Inslee’s office in February asking if I was still interested.
I said yes, an interview was set, and on March 4, while on vacation, I received notification via email that I was appointed.
What do you hope to accomplish in your role on the Commission on African American Affairs?
First and foremost, as being the only dental professional on the Commission, I want to inform my fellow Commissioners about the oral disparities in Washington State and how it impacts our rural and underserved communities the most.
My goal is to use my influence across the state to bring awareness on how important oral health is and how it directly affects the health of African Americans, specifically periodontal disease, and the impact it has on heart disease in the African American community. Heart disease is the number one killer for black/African American women.
I then would like to work with my fellow commissioners, Black/African American dental professionals, and the Washington State Dental Association (WSDA) to develop a directory for Washington State so that diverse communities can find providers that represent them.
House Bill 1503 was passed and signed into law in May of 2023. However, Washington State is only collecting the information and has yet to develop the search engine. My goal is to make sure the Department of Health creates that search engine, and that Washington State provides the funding to do so.
Are there any issues directly pertaining to PNWU/the SDM that you have your sights set on? Specific changes in state programs or laws that may be worth highlighting?
My focus will be highlighting PNWU/SDM and easing concerns about the lack of Black/African Americans in the Yakima Valley.
My goal is to ask my fellow Commissioners to change their mindset about Yakima Valley and that to advance the population of diverse medical and dental providers we need to look at academia as a career path.
My goal is to increase applicants to both PNWU and the SDM that are from diverse communities.
How can this opportunity ultimately impact our mission, the SDM, and the overall health of our communities?
The impact will further demonstrate just how amazing our university is and how the impact of SDM will be a lasting one in our communities and state.
Having one of our own who is a woman of color speaking about the importance of diversifying the workforce so that those in rural and underserved communities will seek care and complete follow up care is huge.
I am beyond honored to be the voice for PNWU-SDM and how we are working on changing the narrative versus continuing to stand by and do nothing. The ability for our youth and young adults to see a person of color and a woman making an impact after coming from very humble beginnings is huge in the African American Communities.
I still am pinching myself, as I was a teenage mom and still can’t believe how far I have come, all because I fell in love with dentistry.