My name is Heather Gallagher, and I am the Senior Program Manager for Access at Arcora Foundation, leading the DentistLink and Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) public-private partnerships.
When I look back on my professional journey in oral health, it is impossible to separate it from my personal story. Long before I held my role at Arcora Foundation, I was a young mom doing her best to care for her children while navigating the realities of Apple Health, access barriers, and the hope that preventive care could truly make a difference.
That hope first became real for me through the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program.
A Personal Introduction to Access
As a parent enrolled in Apple Health (Medicaid), finding quality dental care for my children was not easy. Like many families, I faced uncertainty about where to go, whether providers would accept our coverage, and how to make sure my kids received not just treatment, but high quality, prevention-focused care.
Through ABCD, my children were connected to participating dentists who understood the importance of early, preventive dental visits. I saw firsthand what happens when systems are intentionally designed to address inequities and meet families where they are. Barriers fall, trust grows, and children get the care they deserve.
At the time, I did not know that this experience would ultimately shape my career. I only knew that it worked and that it mattered.
From Participant to Local Coordinator
Years later, when the opportunity arose to work more closely with ABCD, I was excited to serve. I became a local ABCD program coordinator, supporting providers, families, and community partners to ensure children could consistently access quality oral health care.
In that role, I gained a deeper understanding of the ecosystem behind access:
- The importance of provider engagement and training.
- The power of community partnerships.
- The real-world challenges families face beyond the dental chair.
Most importantly, I saw how thoughtfully designed programs could bridge gaps that once felt insurmountable. My work was no longer just about my own children; it was about all children in all communities, all of whom deserved the same chance at a healthy start.
Leading at the State Level
Today, I serve as the ABCD state managing director and senior program manager of Access, overseeing both ABCD and DentistLink at Arcora. This role allows me to bring lived experience into statewide strategy, ensuring that community voices, family realities, and provider perspectives shape how we approach access.
Through ABCD, we continue to focus on prevention, early intervention, and provider support, meeting children where they are and ensuring dental homes are established early. Through DentistLink, we address gaps in care by connecting Apple Health members to dentists who are willing and prepared to serve them, particularly in rural, underserved, and historically underinvested in communities where access to care has been limited for far too long.
Both programs are grounded in the same belief that shaped my journey as a parent: a cavity free future is possible when access, prevention, and systems align.
Why This Work Matters
Children’s oral health is deeply connected to overall health, school readiness, and lifelong opportunity. Also access to preventive dental care is a matter of health equity and justice, not chance. I have seen these truths both professionally and personally.
Every family that finds a dental home, every provider who joins the Apple Health network, and every child who grows up free from dental disease reinforces why this work is so important.
Looking Ahead
My journey, from an ABCD parent to local coordinator to statewide leader, reflects what is possible when programs are intentional, inclusive, and rooted in lived experience. At Arcora, I am proud to help shape systems that do not just respond to need but actively reduce disparities and create lasting change.
The work is far from finished. But every day, I am reminded that progress happens when we listen to families and communities, partner with providers, and never lose sight of the people these programs are meant to serve.
For me, it all started with being a mom who wanted the best for her kids and grew into a commitment to ensure every child, regardless of zip code or coverage, has that same opportunity.