The Power of Collective Action: A Look at OPEN Hill Day 2026

As we look ahead to OPEN Hill Day this June, I’ve been reflecting on what makes moments like this so important — not just as events but as expressions of something bigger.

At CareQuest Institute, we often talk about the importance of systems change. But systems don’t change on their own. They shift because people — advocates, community leaders, providers, and partners — come together with a shared purpose and a willingness to act.

Hill Day is one of the clearest examples of that purpose in action, when OPEN members meet with legislators in Washington, DC, about prioritizing oral health in their communities.

Across the country, the organizations we partner with are advancing oral health equity every day — often in ways that are not visible at the national level. They are building coalitions, responding to policy threats, and working alongside communities to improve access to care. Hill Day brings those efforts together and makes them visible on the national stage, connecting local experience to national policy conversations, and aligning voices around a shared set of priorities.

This year, that alignment is especially important.

 

Three Priorities for OPEN Hill Day 2026

OPEN Hill Day is focused on a set of clear, coordinated federal priorities:

1. Improving access to dental care for veterans
2. Protecting Medicaid as a critical pathway to care
3. Ensuring sustained federal investment in oral health infrastructure and prevention

These are not abstract policy issues — they reflect what our partners see every day in their communities and where federal action can make a meaningful difference. When we collectively elevate these issues, we help build champions and raise awareness. More specifically, we shift how policymakers understand the role of oral health in overall health and well-being.

We see this connection in the work of grantees and partners across the country. Organizations like Asian Resources Inc. in California are expanding access through culturally responsive outreach and enrollment efforts that connect underserved communities to coverage and oral health services, while groups like Maine Equal Justice have led campaigns to expand Medicaid dental coverage — improving access to preventive and restorative care for adults. Meanwhile, partners such as the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative are mobilizing consumer voices to advance more equitable coverage and affordability, while organizations like Alabama Arise, Health Care for All in Massachusetts, and Smiles Across Montana are leading efforts to protect community water fluoridation, an evidence-based intervention that improves oral health at scale.

Many of these organizations are doing this while navigating limited resources and increasing demand. What makes this work effective is not just individual leadership but coordination across organizations, states, and strategies in pursuit of a shared mission.

That’s what OPEN is designed to support.

 

The Lasting Impact of OPEN Hill Day

Through OPEN, partners have opportunities to connect, share learning, and align their efforts over time. Hill Day builds on that foundation by creating space for coordinated advocacy — equipping participants with the policy context, data, and messaging they need to engage effectively with policymakers. They are creating opportunities to translate community priorities into federal action, ensuring that the people closest to the challenges are also shaping the solutions — and that their perspectives are heard by those making decisions that affect access to care.

Hill Day is not a stand-alone moment. It is part of a sustained, ongoing effort by OPEN and its members to strengthen advocacy, deepen relationships, and build collective power over time. One day in Washington, DC, does not create change on its own, but it plays a critical role in reinforcing and accelerating the work happening year-round across the field.

At CareQuest Institute, our role is not just to fund this work but to help connect it — to support the relationships, shared learning, and infrastructure that allow it to grow and sustain over time. That means investing in networks like OPEN, supporting advocacy and policy efforts, and continuing to learn alongside our partners about what it takes to drive meaningful change.

The challenges in front of us are real and, in many cases, intensifying. But so is the strength of the field.

As we gather for Hill Day, I’m reminded that our greatest asset is not any single strategy or initiative. It’s the collective commitment of partners across the country who are working — together — to protect access, advance equity, and build a better oral health system.

For more information on OPEN, go to carequest.org/policy-advocacy/open/.

Authored by Trenae Simpson, Senior Director of Philanthropy, CareQuest Institute